Bard College
Bard Digital Commons
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
"When We Come Back From the War I Will Have
Changed."
Sam Robert Ketchum
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“WhenWeComeBackFromtheWarIWill
HaveChanged.”
AStudyoftheuseofpronounsinGeorgianPoetsbeforeandafter
WorldWarOne.
By
SamKetchum
SubmittedtotheDepartmentofLanguageandLiterature
1
SECTIONA
ABSTRACT
~~~~~~~~~
Themoderneraoftenlooksbackupontheearly1900swithanostalgiaforthebuildofto
modernism.Withthemechanizedworldsoingraineditishardlypossibletoenvisionalife
withouttechnology.Oneofthemoreimportantaspectsofthemoderneraofliteratureisliterally
calledthemodernists,EzraPound,T.SEliot,SamuelBeckett,W.HAuden,JamesJoyce,
VirginiaWoolf,andDavidJonesareallconsideredmembersoftheBritishmodernistmovement.
Theyallwriteinemptysceneswherenoprotagonistcanbefound,Eliot’s“Wasteland,”
Beckett’s“WaitingforGodot,”andPound’sobsessionwiththeobject.Orthesewritersgothe
otherwayandcompletelyfocustheirnarrationthroughtheeyesofthecharacterssuchasin
Joyce’s“Ulysses,”andWoolf’s“MrsDalloway.”Verylittlecredenceisgiventotheworkofthe
EnglishPoetsinthebuilduptothismovement.In1913when“AfewDon’ts,”waspublishedby
EzraPoundtherewasalreadyavibrantworldofpoeticalmovementinEngland.
Themodernconceptionfollowspoundspublicationthroughtothemodernera.Mostof
thishasbeendoneretroactivelythroughthelikesofT.S.EliotwhosaidofPound​“more
responsibleforthetwentiethcenturyrevolutioninpoetrythanisanyotherindividual
​
."​Yetatthe
1
sametimewhenPoundwaswritingtherewasamovementofPoetswhoreceivedamuchwider
fieldofattention:TheGeorgianstyleofpoetrywasbeingformedaround1907byindividual
poets.BythecoronationofKingGeorgeVin1910therewereseveralgroupsofpoetswhohad
publishedpoetrywhichexploredsimilarthemesofnatureandloveastheRomanticstyleof
WilliamButlerYeats,Keats,andByronShelley.Yetthesepoetshaddevelopedtheirownstyle
thatsmackedofthemodernera.Theworkofthesepoetswerecodifiedin1912bythepatron
1
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/ezrapound
2
andstatesmanEdwardMarshalongwiththepublisherHaroldMonro.Banishedtoobscuritythe
GeorgiansareoftenseenasanextensionoftheVictorianandRomanticpoeticmovements.
TheGeorgiansdiffersgreatlyinstyleforthe10yearperiodforwhichtheanthologieswere
published.
TheGeorgianpoets,beginningwithRupertBrooke,choosetobedifferent.Inan
increasinglyurbanizedworldtheymovedouttotheWelshCountrysidetowritepoetrythat
invokedasenseofnatureandthegrandeuroftheEnglishLandscape.Harkinguponsomelong
forgottenpastwhichwasbeingneglectedduringtheturnofthecentury.Thesepoemsoften
focusedontheindividualperspective.Specificallythelinkbetweenanindividualperspective
andtheenvironmentinwhichthesenarratorsfoundaroundthem.
OneofthefewModernistperceptionsoftheFirstWorldWarcomesfromtheworkof
DavidJones.Awriterwhosework“InParenthesis,”isconsideredbyW.HAudentobe“a
masterpiece,”aworkthatdidfortheFirstWorldWarwhat“HomerdidfortheGreeksand
Trojans.”ThomasDilworth,theinspirationforWebster,calledit“ThegreatestworkofBritish
Modernismwrittenbetweenthewars.”T.S.Eliothimselfevenwrotetheintroductionforthebook
callingit“aworkofgenius
​
.”DavidJoneshimselfthoughsharesagreatdealincommonwith
2
theGeorgianpoets.Hemayneverhadtheschooling,noreducation,norpublicationtobe
consideredaGeorgianpoetbuthispoeticprosessharesinthesamethemes.Inadditiontohis
focusonthedistortionofnatureandloveofthehomeland(WalesinthecaseofJones)thereis
asenseofamufflednarrator.Asimilarconditionthatplaguestheworkofthewartorn
Georgian.Infactthereisnotnoclearnarratorin“InParenthesis.”AsJonessaysinhis
introductionto“InParenthesis,”“IhavewrittenitinakindofspacebetweenspaceIdon’tknow
betweenquitewhatbutasyouturnasidetodosomething;andbecauseforusamateur
2
​https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_Parenthesis​(willgetapropersourceafterApril6)
3
soldiers…thewaritselfwasinparenthesis…andalsobecauseofourcurioustypeofexistence
hereisaltogetherinparenthesis
​
.”Thisessaywillfocusonwhatcausedthesewritersto
3
strugglewiththeirchoiceofnarrator.Aprominentfeatureofmodernistpoetryisthefracturingof
thehumancondition.Thechanginguseofpronounsaltershowthereaderinteractswiththe
poetry.
SECTIONBINTRODUCTION:
B1Subjects
ThispaperdealswithachangethatoccurswithintheEnglishcanonofpoets.Ofparticular
interestisthewaythattheGreatWar(19141918)affectedtheGeorgianPoets.Theworkofthe
Georgianpoetswascodifiedinwiththepublicationoftheirfirstanthologyin1912.The
anthologyitselfwasnotaworkbythepoetsbutacollectioneditedbyEdwardMarsh;aclose
friendtoWinstonChurchillandatrainedclassicist .TheanthologywaspublishedbythePoetry
4
WorkshopinBloomsbury.TheownerHaroldMonrowasaBelgianPoetwhohadsponsored
severalbooksofpoetry.Inreturnforpublishingthefirstanthologyin1912Monroaskedforhalf
oftheprofits .Therewerefivefollowupanthologiesspanningtill1922.
5
Fromthe21stcenturyperspectivetheGeorgianpoetsseemlikeaforgottenfootstep
towardsthemodernstyling.Seenmostlyasanarchaiccollectionofpoetryfromthechildrenof
landedgentrythatfocusesonthepersonalexperienceoftheupperclassalongwiththebeauty
ofnature.ManyoftheGeorgianpoetsindeedhadtheeducationtobeinspiredbytheclassic
textsofantiquity,Horace,Ovid,andVirgil.Thisinterestintheclassicshelpedtofacilitatethe
linkbetweentheVictorianssuchasKeats.Thedirectconnectionthatthese,often,elitepoets
havewiththegeneralpopulationisminimal.Theeducationandclassdifferencepushedthese
3
“ThePoetryofTheFirstWorldWar,”editedbySantanuDas.Page153
4
“PoetryofTheFirstWorldWar,”editedbyTimKendall
5
http://www.britannica.com/art/GeorgianpoetryBritishliterarygroup
4
poetstoalevelofobscurityfromthegeneralpopulation.WithRupertBrookeprovingtobean
exception.
TheGreatWarhadanirreparablechangeonhowthesepoetssawtheworldand,thus,
howtheycomposedtheirliterature.ThemaingroupofprewarGeorgianpoetsthatthisessay
willbeconcernedwithistheGloucesterpoets.WhenbrowsingthecanonofGeorgianpoets
therearemanythemeswhichresonate,thepoetrycollectiveatGloucestercametorepresent
thecorethematicvaluesofwhatitmeanstobeaGeorgianpoet.TheGloucester,orDymock,
poetspublishedaserialmagazinefourtimesayear.Althoughthequarterlymaycontainthe
playsofDrinkwater,orashortstory,themajorityofpagesarededicatedtopoetry.Themost
prevalentformofpersonalpronounsusedintheDymockquarterlywasthefirstpersonpersonal
pronoun,roughly66%oftheitemspublishedintheDymockpoetsquarterlyusethispronoun.
Thewaythatthisessaywillfollowthechanginguseofthepersonalpronounisthrough
thecirclesandassociationsthepoetskept,beforeandduringthewar.Althoughtherearea
widevarietyofpoetswhowillcometobeidentifiedwithintheGeorgiananthologies,collatedby
EdwardMarsh.TheprimarygroupofpoetthatwouldcometorepresenttheGeorgianswouldbe
theDymockorGloucestershirepoets.GloucestershireislocatedontheEnglishborderwith
Wales.Thetownisquaintandrural.Locatedfarawayfromthemechanizedmodernizedworld
ofLondonandtheliterarycommunityofthecosmopolitancentersofeurope.Theareais
notoriouslyscenicwithvastfieldsrunallthewaytotheriverWye,the5thlongestriverin
England.Thepoets’retreattothisagriculturalcommunityspeakstothestyleofpoetrythatthey
aspiredtomake.Thispoetryneglectedtheworldoftheverypeoplewhopublishedit,thePoetry
WorkshopwaslocatedinurbanizedLondon.ThepoetslivedaroundthevillageofDymocknear
Gloucestershirefromaround1911withsomesporadictravelsandchanges.
5
TheDymockpoetsaremostobviouslyseenasacollectiveduetotheirquarterly
publicationcalled“NewNumbers.”Theirpoetrycentersaroundwindingroadsinthe
countryside,mountains,streams,andtheidealEngland.
ThepersonsmostoftenassociatedwiththeGloucestershirecollectivewereRupert
Brooke,theexemplarofGeorgianpoetry.AmericanpoetRobertFrost,arguablythemost
successfuloftheGloucestershirepoets.LascellesAbercrombiewhowasapoetandjournalist
mostnotableforbeatingJ.R.RTolkienforaProfessorshipattheUniversityofLeeds.​Edward
Thomas,acopiouswriterdealingmostlyinreviewsandcriticsuntilhemetRobertFrostin1913
afterwhichhebegantowritepoetryalmostexclusively.WilfredGibson,apoetofsomeremark
beforejoiningtheDymockpoets.Havingpublishedhisownanthologyofpoetryin1907
(“Stonefields”)somethingthatonlyRupertBrookecouldalsoclaim.RupertBrooketeamedup
withEdwardMarshtoselectedthepoetswhowouldbecomeapartofthefirstGeorgian
anthology .
6
B2WhyPoetry
Theturnofthecenturywasaworldfilledwithliterature from19141918,therearebooks,
7
newspapers,letters,andadvertisements.Althoughthebeginningsoffilmandphotographywere
presentduringWorldWarOnetheGreatWarisoftensynonymouswithpoetry.So,whyis
poetrythemediumthatisremembered?Firstofallofthepoetswhowillbeexaminedwere
soldiers.Thiswastheirfulltimejob,meaningthattheirwritingwouldbesecondarytotheirwork
atthefront.Thetroopswouldstandtoatdawnandworkthroughthenight,fixingbarbedwire
andlistenfortheenemy.Duringthedaylighthourshoweverassoonasmaintenanceworkwas
donethetroopswererestrictedtotheirsectionoftrench.Leavingsometimeforreadingand
6
“PoetryoftheFirstWorldWar.”EditedbyTimKendall.
7
http://ourworldindata.org/literacy/
6
writingatthefront.Asthewarprogressedtherebecameasystemforrotatingthetroops
throughfromthefrontlinetothereserve.Givingthesoldierstimetoreview,submit,andpublish
thepoetrytheywroteatthefront .Quiteoftentherewouldbegreatspansofboredombut
8
thosemomentsarenotfreetime.Indeed,theCraiglockhartpoetsessentiallyspenttheir
hospitaltimeeditingandrewritingpoemstheyhadscribbleddownatthefront.Thereinliesthe
beautyofpoetry,asitallowsforthesnapshot,thequickreflectinbetweentheotherwise
overwhelmingelementsofwar.
Tobemorespecificitmustbehardfortheindividualsoldiersonthefronttorealizetheir
immediateexperience .Thissenseofimmediatesurroundingstranslatesthroughpoetryas
9
thereisnoneedforadetailedsynopsis.Thepoemsonlygivevignettesoflifeatthefront.
Focusingonthosemomentsthatbreakordescribethemonotonyoftrenchwarfare;asin
“Breakfast ,”byWilfredGibson.Thispoemsencapsulateasoldier’sexperiencebutonlyfora
10
briefmoment.Thisisbecausenosinglesoldiercouldtrulyexpressthewarasithappened.
Thusthesepoemsworklikefragmentedmemoriestothesoldiers,manyofwhichwouldgoon
towriteprosebooksabouttheirexperience.ThebookofDavidJones,“InParenthesis,”isan
interestingadditiontothecanonofWorldWarOnebooksasitisabookofpoetrywhichis
writtenasifitwereprose.
B3WhyCountPronouns
8
http://inthefootsteps.org.uk/articles/191418greatwar/lifeinthetrenches.htm
9
WithSassoon’s“MemoirsofaFoxHuntingMan,”notcomingouttill1928,andRobertGraves“Goodbye
toAllThat,”in1929.
10
“Weateourbreakfastlyingonourbacks,
Becausetheshellswerescreechingoverhead.
Ibetarashertoaloafofbread
ThatHullUnitedwouldbeatHalifax
WhenJimmyStainthorpplayedfullbackinstead
OfBillyBradford.Gingerraisedhishead
Andcursed,andtookthebet;anddroptbackdead.
Weateourbreakfastlyingonourbacks,
Becausetheshellswerescreechingoverhead.”
7
ProfessorPennebakerisaprofessorofpsychologyattheUniversityofTexasatAustin.Inhis
mostrecentbookprofessorPennebakerdealswiththewayinwhichpeopleusepersonal
pronouns.Mostofinterestforthispaperisasectionofthebook“TheSecretLifeofPronouns,”
inwhichprofessorPennebakerdealswithhowtraumaaffectshowindividualsusepronouns.In
essencethemoredirectlythewriterdealswithfirstpersonsubjectivepronounthemoreatease
theyarewiththetraumatheyhaveexperienced.Themoreawriterusesthethirdperson
subjectivepronounthemorelikelythewriterisstillrepressingorunabletoprocesstheir
experience.ProfessorPennebakerwasabletocometothisconclusionthroughusingasimilar
wordcountprocesswhichwillbeutilizedinthisessay:“LinguistInquiryandWordCount
Fromtheuseofpronounsareadercanunderstandtheirrelationwiththenarrator,
whethertheseeventsareoccurringtoanarratororbeingrelayedbyanarrator.Pronounscan
alsoinnocuouslyinstillrelationshipstatusbetweenareadertheirenvironment.Theuseof
pronounsisparticularlyvaluablewhensettingastoryasitallowsthenarratortoclearlydefine
themselves.
Examplesofpronounsare:firstpersonsubjectivepronouns,I,me,my,andmyself,all
directlylinkthespeakerwiththeirpointofview.Makinganystorybeingconveyedadirectresult
ofasubjectivepointofview.relayingtheactionthroughtheeyesofthenarrator.
Inthesecondpersonpronounthereaderisgivenanobjective,neutral,descriptionhim,
her,it;adistantsubjectivedescriptionhe,she,it;orthenarratormaydirectlycommunicatewith
thereaderthroughtheaccusatoryyou.
Thethirdpersonpersonalpronounsareofteninclusivesuchasthesubjectivethird
personpronounswe,us,andourswhichcanallowthereadingtotakepartintheperspective
thenarrator,havingownershipofwhatisbeingdescribed.Thethirdpersonpersonalpronoun
canalsoalienate,differentiatingthesubjectsomethingelse,suchastheobjectivethirdperson
8
pronounsthem,they,theirs.Intotalitytheuseofpronounsareextremelyimportantindefininga
relationshipbetweenthereaderandnarratorasthesewordscarrywiththemconnotationwhich
promoteperspective,tense,identity,andlocation.
B4ExperimentOverview/ExperimentalHumanities
BeforedivingintoananalysisofWorldWarOnepoetryIwouldliketofirstdiscusshow
thisessaywillapproachtheanalysisofthesubject.Thisessaywillfocusonaformofanalytics
whichcountswords.Specificallypronouns.ThusIwouldliketopresentthebelowanalysisin
theformatofasciencepaper.Thismeansthattheunderlyingwarrantofthispaperisthatthe
analysisismoreofanempiricalmeasureofthewordschosenbyanauthorratherthanawhy
thesewordswerechosen.
Ifeelthatitisimportantthatliteratureintheageofmoderncomputersbeabletoutilize
thetoolsavailable.Thereisaclosereadinghasoftenbeenthefavouriteformofanalysisfor
Literature.Yetthisstyleislimitedinwhatcanbecloselyreadasitcallsforapassageora
sectiontoberemovedfromthestoryasawhole.Focusingonthespecificswordsusedto
conveytheactiontakingplaceinalimitedsetting.Wordsthemselvesarethebasicelements,
thebuildingblocks,toliterature.Thuswhenaliteratureisanalyseditisthesewords,scenesin
tableau,thatmustpushaworkforward.Thecomputationalpowerofcomputerscancreate
programswhichhavetheabilitytosearch,tally,andordertheuseofwordsinanentirepieceof
literature.WiththisimprovedpowerofanalysiseventhethickestTolstoynovelcanbebroken
downintoitselementarypartsforinspection.
C.P.Snow,inanessayabout“TheTwoCultures,”saysthatadichotomyhasformedin
academia,thatbetweenthesciencesandtheartsthereisanalmostimpenetrablewall.The
advanceoftechnologyhasdrasticallychangedhowtheaverageAmericanCitizenengageswith
9
Literature.Nolongerisliteratureastudythatcanbeseparatedfromthelab.Theuseoftablets,
kindles,internetarticles,anddigitallyformattedLiteratureshouldbeseenasanopportunity.
NowthethattheworksofEnglishLiteraturehavebecomeintegratedintothedigitalworlda
wholeslewofscientifictoolscanbeusedtoenabletotheanalysisofLiterature.Thesetwo
schismofacademiashouldn’tbeseparatedas,now,bothcanworktogethertodistillthe
essentialelementsofthehumancondition.
Withtheuseofcomputerprogramsawordcountcanbeeasilygeneratedallowingfor
almostanysectionofastory,andtheformatinwhichitistold,tobeempiricallydissected.With
thelevelofcomputationalpoweravailableincomputerstheadjectives,prepositions,verbsand
nounsinaworkofliteraturecouldallbecounted,andlisted,allowingthereadertodistillthe
basicelementsofastorythroughtheverylanguageusedtocreateit.ProfessorPennebaker,a
psychologyprofessor,usesacomputertoanalyzethementalstatesofindividualsusinga
computerprogramcalled“LinguisticInquiryandWordCount.”Todenythosewhostudyand
analyzeLiteraturethesetoolsistobarthestudyofLiteratureenteringthecomputerage.
LeavingLiteratureasaregressiveforcethatfocusesontheexaminedlifeofthehuman
conditionwithoutchange.
Oncethebasictenantsoflanguageareabletobedissectedbycomputersthestudents
ofliteraturecanpracticetheclosereadingwhichdefinestheacademicpracticeoveranentire
novel.Extrapolatingtheseskillsoverhowastoryistoldinitsentiretyallowingthepowerofword
choiceinnateinplotconstructionandinmanifestingemotiontobeanalyzedmoreclearly.
Givingdepthtohowthehumanexperienceisviewedoutsideofasingleword,sentence,
stanza,orparagraph.
SECTIONCEXPERIMENTALDESIGN
10
C1ChoiceofPronounscounted
Thisessaywillspecificallyaddresshowtheuseofpronounsmorphhowaworkof
literatureisset,told,andreceivedbyareader.Thisessaywilladdresstheuseofthefirst
personalpronoun,(I,me,myself)incontrast,andinconjunction,tothethirdpersonpersonal
pronoun(we,us,together).Inadditionthisessaywillalsoexaminetheuseofthesecond
personpersonalpronoun(he,her,you)intheworksprovided.Theuseofthepersonalpronoun
issignificantasitdefinestherelationshipbetweenthenarratorandareaderthusdictatinghow
astoryistold,e.g.fromwhichperspectiveisthereaderexperiencingtheactionoccurring.
Thefirstpersonpersonalpronounofcoursedropsthereaderdirectlyintothemind,and
eyes,ofacharacterwhichisexperiencingtheactionofaworkofliteratureanindividual’s
perspective.Thethirdpersonpersonalpronounrelatestoanexperiencewhichisoccurringtoa
groupofindividuals,itisnotnecessarilylocatedinonesetofeyesbutitislimitedtoonesetof
mind.Meaningthatthenarratorextendsit’sinclusiveempathytoaseriesofactorspresentina
scene.Leadingtoastoryinwhichthegroupispreservedinplaceoftheindividual
​
.Theuseof
11
thesecondpersonpersonalpronouncreatesacontrastastheimpersonaladdressofheorshe
doesnotimmediatelydrawinreaders,simplyitleavesthecharactersomewhatblank.Onthe
otherhandtheuseofyouinapieceofwritingcandrasticallychangethereader'sperception,
particularlywhenthereaderthemselvesisbeingdirectlyaddressed.Thisusagenotonlyinvites
thereaderdirectlyintothepiecebutopensadialoguebetweenthenarratorandthereader.
C2ChoiceofPoetsselected
Thereareatleast15GeorgianPoets,accordingtotheEncyclopediaBritannica.Thenumberof
poetswhoconsideredthemselvesGeorgiansorwerepublishedinoffbrandanthologiesis
uncountable.Fromthefirstofficialpublicationofthe“GeorgianAnthology,”in1912until1922
11
Anaptanalogyforthedifferencebetweenthefirstpersonpersonalpronounwouldbethisiswhat
happenedtomevrsthisiswhathappenedtous.
11
therearealargenumberofpoetswhowillbeexcludedfromthisessay.Theprincipalpoets
whichhavebeenselectedarethosememberoftheGloucestershirepoetswhowenttofightthe
war:RupertBrookeandEdwardThomas.WilfredGibson,oneofthemostconsistently
publishedDymockpoetswasnotincludedinthisessayasalthoughheservedheneverleftthe
homefrontduringthewar.Thenextgroupofpoetsthatwillbeexaminedarethosepoetswho
metandwroterecoveringfromwoundsreceivedatthefront.Thisgroupwillbecharacterizedas
theCraiglockhartpoets,afterthehospitalthattheywererecoveringin.Thesepoetsinclude
SiegfriedSassoon,WilfredOwen,andRobertGraves.Thereasonwhythesetwogroupshave
beenselectedisbecausethey,one:foughtatthefront,andtwo:collaboratedonpoetry
magazinesinwhichtheypublishedpoemscontemporarytothewar.Thelastpoetwhowillbe
reviewedisDavidJonesashisbook“InParenthesis,”publishedin1937whichputshisworkout
ofthehistoricalrangeoftheGeorgianpoets.YethisworkisundeniablysourcedintheGeorgian
poets.AlsohefoughtinthesameregimentasSiegfriedSassoonandRobertGravesatone
pointcyclingthroughthesametrenchsystem,givingJonesthesameflavourasthesewar
poets.Givingaretroactiveexperienceofthewarpoets.
SECTIONDRESULTS
D1EdwardThomas
~~~~~~~~~~~
EdwardThomasisarguablythefirstoftheGeorgianpoetstogotowar.Thomaswas
onlyanewcomertopoetrybeforethewarbeganmeaningthathisstyleandpronounusageare
unaffectedfromeitherthewarpoetswhocamebeforeortherhetoricofwar.Thomasbegan
writingpoetryexclusivelyshortlybeforethewar
​
.AlthoughEdwardThomaswasanavidliterary
12
criticandwriterbefore1914,mostnotablypublishingabookin1913“TheHappyGoLucky
12
19131914
12
Morgans;”Thomaswasneverapoet.WhenwarbrokeoutEdwardThomasjoinedtheArtists
Riflesin1915,hewas37atthetime.AlthoughEdwardThomaswantedtogotothefrontafter
hesigneduphewasreassignedtoanofficer’strainingcamp
​
whereThomasactedasamap
13
readinginstructor.AlthoughEdwardThomashadcontemplatedgoingtothefrontsincethe
outbreakofwarhedidnotseeactionuntilherequestedtojointheartillery.Hewassenttothe
trenchesin1917.UnfortunatelyThomaswaskilledbyashellthatsameyear,atthebattleof
Arras,whileservinginanartillerybattery.ThismeansthatmuchofthepoetrywhichThomas
wrotewasaproductofthehomefront.ThewarwasverymuchonthemindofEdwardThomas.
“Poems,”acollectionofEdwardThomas’poetrydidnotappeartillOctoberof1917.The
collectionof“LastPoems,”wasposthumouslyreleasedin1918.Thepoemsweretypedupand
senttopublishersbyhisconfidanteEleanorFarjeon
​
makingtheanthologyaneditedversionof
14
Thomas’swork.ThepoetrywhichThomaswrote,andthatwhichwaspublished,reflectsthe
basicaestheticmoldoftheGeorgianpoetsbasedinDymock.Thomas’sworkundeniablydoes
deviatefromtheGloucesterpoetstingedbythesensationofwar,whichwillcomelatertomark
thewarpoets.
ThomaswrotemostofhispublishedpoemswithinthetimeframeoftheFirstWorldWar.
Thus,althoughhewasnotinuniformtill1915,andnotatthefronttill1917,Thomas’spoems
oftenreflectthetroublesomequestionsofacountryatwar.Duetohisabstractionfromthefront
Thomasdoesnotdescribethewarintermsofanallconsumingmentality.Somethingthatcould
besaidofSiegfriedSassoonorofWilfredOwen.InsteadThomasoftenreflectshowthewaris
affectingtheEnglishlandscapeswhichhelovessodearly,aresiduefromhisdaysasapoetin
Gloucestershire.Thisloveofthecountrysidecanbeseenin“Roads.”Inthecourseofthispoem
ThomasdescribestheroadsfromidylliccountrytownsinEnglandbeingturnedintoawarpath.
13
WhereThomaspossiblymet,andtrained,WilfredOwen.
14
“OutoftheDark.PoetryoftheFirstWorldWar.”EditedbyDavidRobertspg68
13
Despitebeingmanifestlyaboutwarthepoemhassomestanzasthatsoundasiftheycould
havebeenwrittenwhenThomaswasstillwalkingroundthevillageofDymockbytheriverWye:
“Thehillroadwetwithrain
Inthesunwouldnotgleam
Likeawindingstream
Ifwetroditnotagain
​
.”
15
LaterinthepoemThomasreferstothe“themountainwaysofWales,”andhowthecloudsare
likesheep.ThispoetryisworldsawayfromthedesolatewastelandthatSassoon,Owen,and
DavidJoneswillcometoinhabit.Thesmoothnaturaltonesofthepoemaremorereminiscentof
RobertFrostwhohadlefttheUKandreturnedtoAmericaasWorldWarOnebegan.Curiously
FrostwasstillincorrespondencewithEdwardThomas.EvenaskingThomas,hiscompanionfor
manywalksthroughtheGloucestershirecountryside,toleaveEnglandandtojoinhiminthe
UnitedStates.Yet,ironically,itistheloveofthecountrysidewhichkeepsThomasinEngland.
Inhispoem“Thisisnocaseofpettyrightorwrong,”Thomasdelvesdirectlyintohisconflicting
feelingsofgoingtowaragainstGermany.ThepoemwaswrittenafterThomashadanargument
withhisfatheraboutwhetherornotEnglandshouldgotowar.Thepoemstruggleswiththe
reasonstofightornottofightonascenicscale:“WithwarandargumentIreadnomore/Than
inthestormsmokingalongthewind/Athwartthewood.”Bydescribingtheclarityofgoingtowar
asifleavingawoodThomasdirectlylinksnaturetohisthoughtprocess.Itisthisscenic
landscapewithwhichThomascannotlivewithoutthatcontextualizeshisthoughts.When
Thomas’spoemfinallycomestocatharsisitcollapsesintoacryof“GodsaveEngland,”itis
because“her(England)thatmadeusfromthedust:/Sheisallweknowandliveby,andtrust.”
Thomas’sdesiretofightisnotduetoanyloyaltywiththeEnglishcrown,norishisopposition
15
“PoetryoftheFirstWorldWar,”editedbyTimKendall.pg5860“Roads.”
14
motivatedbyhatredoftheKaiser.EdwardThomasismotivatedtofightthegoodfightforthe
landscapeswhichshapedhim.AfterreadingThomas’spoetryonecanunderstandhowhewas
assignedtoteachofficershowtoreadmaps.
ThelandscapethatThomasviewswithsuchfondnessistheunfortunatecasualtyofhis
warpoetry
​
.AlthoughThomasisawareofthehumantollthewaristaking,RupertBrooke
16
dyingin1915,Thomasistransfixedsolelybywhathecansee.Thatisnotthewarinthe
trenches,northemudorthemachinegunsbutthetroopsleavingtheirhomesandmarching
towardsthefarofffront.In“Roads,”Thomassays:
“NowallroadsleadtoFrance
Andheavyisthetread
Oftheliving;butthedead
Returninglightlydance
​
.”
17
ItseemsasifThomasisignorantofwhatishappeningatthefront.Thepoem“Roads,”begins
with“Iloveroads.”Thomasusesthefirstpersonpersonalpronounbecauseheisonlyciting
whatheisseeing.EvenwhenThomasdoesnotuseapersonalpronoun,suchastheabove
stanza,thereisalackofprotagonist.ThisisduetoThomasdescribingtheeffectofthose
travelingontheroad.Theroadwhichissymbolicofnature,andthelandscapeswhich
accompanyit,aresorarelyascribedapronoun.TheDymockpoetsinparticularhaveahabitfor
describingnaturewithoutanthropomorphizingit.Meaningthatthenarratorquiteoftensounds
asiftheyareomnipotentwhentheyare,instead,engagingwiththevastnessofnatureona
personallevel.
WhendealingwithindividualscharactersinhispoetryEdwardThomasoftenpinstheir
actionsagainstthelandscape.Thisleadstoafewinstancesofinterestingjuxtapositionwhere
16
Onenotableexceptionis“Rain,”inwhichhumansaresufferingundertheactionsofnature.Akatherain.
17
“PoetryoftheFirstWorldWar,”editedbyTimKendall.pg5860“Roads.”
15
anunidentifiednarratorregailsthereaderwithstoriesplacedwithinthefirstpersonpersonal
pronoun(I,me)butquotesthesestoriesasiftheywerepersonalexperiences.Oneinstanceof
EdwardThomasusingthistechniqueisinareflectiononRupertBrookepoem.InpartV.“The
Soldier,”ofhispoem“1914,”Brookesays:
“IfIshoulddie,thinkonlythisofme:
Thatthere’ssomecornerofaforeignfield
ThatisforeverEnglandforever.Thereshallbe
Inthatricheartharicherdustconcealed;
AdustwhomEnglandbore,shaped,andmadeaware...”
IfwecontrastthisBrookestanzawithThomas’s“NoonecareslessthanI,”theparodybecomes
clear.
“‘NoonecareslessthanI,
NobodyknowsbutGod,
WhetherIamdestinedtolie
Underaforeignclod,’
WerethewordsImadetothebuglecallinthemorning.”
ThechoiceofThomastodescribetheforeignsoilasclodmakesitseemlikeitwasalumpof
clay.Somethingunformed,lackingnutrientsandthusunproductiveandunremarkable.This
clearlyjuxtaposesBrookewhosuggeststhatthebodyofEnglishyoutharemade,andshaped
byEnglishsoil,reflectingontheChristianideaof“earthtoearth,ashestoashes,dusttodust.”
“AdustwhomEnglandbore,shaped,andmadeaware,/Gave,once,herflowerstolove,her
waystoroam,AbodyofEngland's.”BythisdefinitionBrookeimplantsanotionofnationalism
withintheconceptofthepoem.Thatbytheelementsthatcomposeabody,fromthenutrition
thatfeedsittothedirtwhichformedit,ataverybaselevel,thebodybecomespartofthe
countrythatboreitasseenintheuseofapostrophe:“bodyofEngland’s.”
16
EdwardThomasplaysupthisidea,suggestingthatmorethanjustthephysicalbodyof
anindividualanEnglishmaniscomposedofsomethingephemeral.Thatentrenchedinthe
BritishIslesareBritishideals,andthesearewhatcreateEnglishmen.Thisinterpretation
dependsonhowliterallyyoutakeBrookewhenhediscussesthedustbeing“shapedandmade
aware.”AlmostasEdwardThomasfeelsthatitisthelandscapeofEnglandwhichisresponsible
forcreatinganEnglishindividual.Thissentimentcanbeseeninlaterwarpoemssuchas
“AnthemofaDoomedYouth,”byWilfredOwen,whichcomparestheinertlandscapetothinning
Englishmen“[T]heirflowersthetendernessofpatientminds .”Animagewhichmakesalink
18
betweenthecharacterofaperson,suchaspatience,anditsimpactontheworld,suchas
bloomingflowers.MeaninganEnglishmanissomeonewhoiscomposedmoreofsimply
mineralsinEngland.Itistheproductofcenturiesofbookknowledge,theverysoilofEngland
enrichedbytheisland’shistory.Makingeverysoldierfromeverycountrysuchaspecial
individual,exceptnotEnglish,Thuseachdeathmeansthatnotthesoilbutasoulisdying,
InhispoemThomasismockingBrooke.Thetitleofhispoemis“Noonecareslessthan
I,”atitlewhichundercutstheidyllicbraverywhichBrookehadcreatedintheopeningmonthsof
thewar.Thomas’useof“I”encapsulatesthefirstpersonsubjectivepronoun.Meaningthatthe
poemtakesplacefromtheperspectiveofThomas’narrator.InThomas’poemhemakesfunof
BrookebymisquotingthisfamousstanzaromBrooke’ssonnet“1914,”atamorningmuster.
TuringthepatrioticpassionofBrookeintoapatronizingexperience.Thomas’depictionofa
crassprotagonistofthepoemmocksthebrave“I”ofRupertBrooke,foratamorningmusterof
soldiers,theneedforpatriotismismute.Thispoemwaswrittenbeforeconscription,Thomas
himselfaneagervolunteer,applyingtogotothefrontseveraltimes.Nooneatthismuster
needstoberemindedoftheultimatesacrificewhichBrookemade.Thereisafurtherhumor
18
“PoetryoftheFirstWorldWar,”editedbyTimKendall.pg153”
17
addedbythementionofdeathatthemorningbugle.Beingthatreveille,themorningbugle,is
usedtowakesoldiersupitisoftenlinkedwithrisingandresurrection .Strikinghomethe
19
thoughtifadeadmanwonderswherehelay.ThusThomasbelieves,likehisavatar,“I,”thatno
matterwhereasoldierisburied,unlessitisinEngland,theyrestunderaforeigncold.A
conditionthatonlymatterstothefamily,andcountrythey’veleftbehind.
ThiscontrastbetweentheintellectualperceptionofEnglandandthephysicallandscape
ofEnglandfuelsThomas’useofquotationmarksaroundthefirstpersonsubjectpronouninhis
poems.Again,makingpainfullyclearthattheprotagonistofhispoemsisnotthesoldier,northe
citizen,buttheEnglishcountryside.Forexamplein“Astheteam’sheadbrass,”thenarratorsits
onacountryfarmandwatchesasploughmanworksaroundafallentree.Thepoemconcerns
itselfwithaconversationbetweenthenarratorandtheploughmanabouttheinabilitytomove
thefallenasalltheyoungmenhaveleftthefarmtofightatthefront:
“‘Fromhere?’‘Yes.’‘Manylost?’‘Yes:agoodfew.
Onlytwoteamsworkonthefarmthisyear.
Oneofmymatesisdead.Thesecondday
InFrancetheykilledhim.ItwasbackinMarch,
Theverynightoftheblizzard,too.Nowif
Hehadstayedhereweshouldhavemovedthetree.’”
AgainweseealackofempathyfromThomasinhisconcernforthedead.Theploughman
speaksinthefirstpersonpersonalpronoun“oneofmymates,”asifthelossoftheploughman’s
friendisinsignificant.Hisfriendisneithernamedordefined,justleftanonymousasifheisone
inacrowdofuntoldmany.EdwardThomasinhispoetryneverintroducesthedeadmanfamily,
theirMotherorsisterasVeraBrittainhaddoneinhermemoirsofWorldWarOne“Testamentof
19
ParticularlyafterthewarinCommonwealthRemembrancedayservices.Withthe“LastPostbeingplayed
tosymbolizedeath,and“reveille,”therenewaloflife.
18
Youth ,”wherethefamilyofthedeadsoldiergoesthroughtheirkitbag.EdwardThomas
20
insteaddrawsthereaderbacktohowhumansaffectthelandscape.Thomasputsthereaderin
contactwithoneofthesoldiersworkfriends,mostmissedbecausewithouthismatethe
ploughmanisnotabletomoveafallentree.Makingitseemasiftherealcausalityisnotthe
deadtrooperbutthecarcassofthetreestrewnacrossanEnglishfield.EdwardThomas’s
shallowattitudetowardsthefrontanddeathismostlikelyaproductofhisdetachmentfrom
whatwasoccurring.ThepoemsthatwerepublishedconcernthemselveswithThomas’s
perspectiveoftheEnglishlandscape,whichonlyhappenedtobeatwar.
OneofthepoemswhichcouldbesaidtoshowachangeinThomas’sattitudeis“Rain.”
Inthispoem,stillsetinthefirstpersonpronounThomaspausestothinkofallthoseaffectedby
theforcesofnature.ThustwistingthenotionofnatureandlandscapewhichEdwardThomas
hasmaintainedinhisotherpoems,thatthelandscapeisactiveinthelivesofpeople.Rather
thanhumansbeingactiveonthelandscape.
Rain
“Rain,midnightrain,nothingbutthewildrain
Onthisbleakhut,andsolitude,andme
RememberingagainthatIshalldie
Andneitherheartherainnorgiveitthanks
ForwashingmecleanerthanIhaveeverbeen
SinceIwasbornintothissolitude.
Blessedarethedeadthattherainrainsupon:
ButhereIpraythatnonewhomonceIloved
isdyingtonightorlyingstillawake
Solitary,listeningtotherain,
Eitherinpainorthusinsympathy
Helplessamongthelivingandthedead,
Myriadsofbrokenreedsallstillandstiff,
Likemewhohavenolovewhichthiswildrain
Hasnotdissolvedexcepttheloveofdeath,
Ifloveitbetowardswhatisperfectand
20
VeraBrittain“ATestamenttoYouth.”Chapter6“Whenthevisiondies.”
19
Cannot,thetempesttellsme,disappoint.”
AlthoughEdwardThomasdoesnotdirectlyreferencethewaronecaninferthatheistakingan
allencompassingview.Atit’sclosestpointthefrontlineinBelgiumwasonly140milesaway
fromLondonmeaningthattheoccasionalexplosioncouldbeaudibleinEngland.Beingan
artillerytrooperitprobablywasn’ttoodifficultforEdwardThomastoimaginethestrugglesof
soldiersatthefrontwhilesittinginatrainingcampintherainlisteningtoexplosions.Itisthe
rhetoricofpowerlesshopeexpressedabovethatresonateswithlaterwarpoets.Noonecan
stoptherain.Norcananyonestopthedeath,yetonecanstillhope:“ButhereIpraythatnone
whomIoncedlovedisdyingtonightorlyingstillawakeSolitary,listeningtotherain.”Thislove
oftheEnglishlandscapeistransfixedfromamereadmirationofbeautytoaformof
homesicknessexperiencebythetroops,asIvoryGurneysaysinhispoem“Billet:”“Igetno
goodinFrance,gettingkilled,cleaningoffmud.”Thisconnectiontoanaturewhichisprevalent
inthepoetryofEdwardThomasandtheGloucestershirecirclewouldcometoinfluencetopoets
tocomeasinIvoryGurney’s“Farewell:”
“NortohearofGloucesterwithStrouddebating
thelackofgoodnessorvirtueingirlsorfarmlands.
NortohearCheltenhamhurlingatCotswolddemands
Ofcivilization;NorWestSevernjockingatEastSevern?
Nomoreacrosstheazureandthebrownlands
Themorningmist,orhighdayclearofrack
Shallmovemydearkneesorfeelthemfrosted,shivering
BySommeorAubersortohavecouragefromthefaces
FullofWestEngland,HerGodgivengraces .”
21
D2RupertBrooke
~~~~~~~~~~~
Young,talented,connected,anddescribedbyW.BYeatsas“thehandsomestyoung
maninEngland,”RupertBrookewassettingtheLiteraryworldof1900alight.Brookewentto
CambridgeonascholarshipwherehebegantostudyclassicsbeforeturningtoEnglish.While
21
“PoetryoftheFirstWorldWar,”editedbyTimKendall.pg125“Farewell”
20
thereBrookebecamethepresidentoftheFabianSociety(asocialistorganization)andstudied
abroadinGermany.In1911BrookehadananthologyofhisownpoetrypublishedbySidgwick
andJacksonpublishing,whichhadaninitialrunof500copies
​
,andsoonbecamequite
22
popular.WithsuccessalreadyinhissailsRupertBrooke,alongwitheditorEdwardMarsh,setto
publishingtheworkofGeorgianpoets.Brookewaspivotalinproducingthe1912anthologyand
wasalsopublishedinthebookwhichbecameasuccess.BubblingwithbrillianceBrookesetoff
in1913tojoinsomeofthepoetswhowerepublishedinthe1912anthologyinthetownof
Dymock,nearGloucestershire.ThisleadtoBrooke’sinclusionin“NewNumbers,”thepoetry
collective’squarterly.InGloucestershireBrookerefinedhisskillandwhatitmeantobea
Georgianpoet.Brooke,alongwiththeGloucestershirepoets
​
,becameastapleforthe
23
anthologyofGeorgianpoetrywhichcontinuedtobepublishedtill1922.
It’srarelyanywonderthatwhenwarbrokeoutthatmanyturnedtoBrookeasa
commentator.InadditiontobeingfamoushimselfBrookewasconnectedtoinfluentialpeople.In
factBrooke’sfriendandtheeditoroftheGeorgianAnthologies,EdwardMarsh,hadbecomethe
personalsecretarytoWinstonChurchill.ThroughhisconnectionstoMarshandWinston
Churchill,RupertBrookewasacceptedintotheRoyalNavyDivisiononSeptember151914
withoutanypriormilitarytraining.HewascommissionedasaSubLieutenant,inchargeof50
men,andsailingtowardsthedefenseofAntwerpbyOctober
​
of1914.Sucharadicalturnof
24
events.Brookewentfromanacclaimedpoet,havingawideaudiencetoreadhispublished
works,toleaderof50Britishmarinesovernight.MostoftenBrookeischaracterizedasbeing
naivetothecomingwar,certainlytruewhenonecompareshispoeticstyletotheworksof
22
http://www.abebooks.com/POEMSBrookeRupertLondonSidgwickJackson/1261482489/bd
23
Poetsfromthiscollectivewereregularlypublishedcopiesoftheanthology,from19121922andprovided
abasefortheanthologiescontinuedsuccess.
24
OverviewofRupertBrooke’sfrom“ThePoetryofTheFirstWorldWar,”editedbySantanuDas.Page69
“EarlyPoetsofTheFirstWorldWar,”byElizabethVandiver.
21
SassoonorOwen.Yet,RupertBrookenevergottoexperiencethebrutalityoftrenchwarfare
thatwouldlatercometodefinetheGreatWar.Alsoonecan’treallyblameBrookeforsounding
patrioticafterbeinggivensuchanopportunity,inhisimmortallines“Thinkonlythisofme:that
there’ssomecornerofaforeignfieldthatisforeverEngland ”,or“Think,thisheart,allevil
25
shedaway,Apulseintheeternalmindnoless .”Themanwasnotoriousforwritingpoems
26
abouteternalloveandbeauty.Asinhis1913poem“Love:”
“Loveisabreachinthewalls,abrokengate,
wherethatcomesinshallnotgoagain;
Lovesellstheproudheart’scitadeltoFate .”
27
AnypicturethatBrookecouldpaintaboutthewarwouldstillbefloral.Further,Brookewas
awareofhisfameandanyactionthatBrooketookwouldhavecaptivatedtheeyesofthepublic.
Meaningatsomelevel,particularlygivenhisuseofobjectivepersonalpronounswhen
describingthisdeath“thinkonlythisofme,”Brookewassuppressinghistruefeelingandwas
writingasapartofatraditionofBritishpoetswhowroteonwar;suchasHilaireBelloc and
28
AlfredLordTennyson .
29
Onthe4thofApril1915,eightmonthsintothewar,DeanIngereadasonnetfrom
Brooke’s“1914,”collectionentitled“TheSoldier,”fromthepulpitofStPaul’sCathedralon
EasterSunday.“TheSoldier,”seemslikeanappropriatechoiceforachurchsermonasit
carriessomebasictenetsoftheChristianfaith.ForexampleinthepoemBrookemeditateson
howhisbodywillonceagainbecomedust.AconceptwhichisrepeatinChristianityfrom
GenesistotheCommonBookofPrayer .Alsothroughobjectifyinghimselfinthefirstperson
30
25
“PoetryoftheFirstWorldWar”editedbyTimKendallpage106“V.TheSoldier.”
26
“PoetryoftheFirstWorldWar”editedbyTimKendallpage106“V.TheSoldier.”
27
http://www.rupertbrooke.com/poems/19121913/love/
28
“Whateverhappenswehavegot/themaximgunandtheyhavenot.”
29
“TheChargeoftheLightBrigade,”byLordAlfredTennyson
30
“Earthtoearth,ashestoashes,dusttodust.’
22
objectivepronounBrookedrawsupontheromanticnotionoftheultimatesacrifice.Endorsing
thatanindividual'sdeathcanchangetheworld.That,justlikeJesus,theyouthofEngland
shouldstandforthandbepreparedtodie,likesoldiers,inorderthattheenlightened(orasthe
DeanIngemightsayChristian)ideasofEnglandmayspreadacrosstheworld.
“IfIshoulddie,thinkonlythisofme:
Thatthere’ssomecornerofaforeignfield
ThatisforeverEngland.Thereshallbe
Inthatricheartharicherdustconcealed;”
InaturnoffateRupertBrookediedtwoweekslateronhiswaytoGallipoli,onthe23rdofApril.
JustasDeanIngehadpreachedfromthepulpitBrookemadeacornerofagrecianorchardfor
everEngland.ThesoilnotonlyenrichedbyBrooke’sdecomposingbodybutenrichedthrough
hisidealsandsacrifice.BuriedonSkyros(aGreekIslandenroutetoGallipoli)Brooke’sfuneral
wasattendedbysuchfiguresasthesittingprimeminister'ssonOcAsquithandPatrickShaw
Stewart.Churchillevenpublishedanobituaryinthe“Times,”forBrookethreedayslater
​
.Due
31
tothecontrastbetweenhispublishedpoemsandhispersonaldiaryitbecomesclearthatthe
poetry,andfame,ofBrookewasutilizedforthewareffortafterhisdeath.Hewasposthumously
turnedintoasymbolfortheromanticnecessityofwar.Laterhebecametheheadlinefora
martyredgenerationofBritishyouth.Ayouthwenowpictureasgoingoptimisticallyintothe
GreatWar.OnemightwonderhowdifferentthepoemsofRupertBrookewouldhavebeenifhe
livedtill1916.
InhispersonalcorrespondenceBrookedepictsthewarwitharesonancenotdefinedin
hispublishedworks.Brookeseemsfarfrombeingoverlyoptimisticornaiveaboutwhatwas
happenedatthefront.AnotableexceptiontothisiswhenbeingtoldhewasgoingtoGallipoli
31
“PoetryoftheFirstWorldWar,”editedbyTimKendallpg103
23
BrookethoughthewasgoingtofightontheplainsofTroy.OtherwiseBrooke’slettersare
incrediblybleak.WhenrecallinghisexperienceatthefallofAntwerphecites“Antwerp,
deserted,shelled,andburning…ruinedhouses,deadmenandhorses
​
.”Inbeingbriefedfor
32
theGallipolicampaignRupertBrookeistoldtoexpecta75%casualtyrateforhisunit.Before
hearrivedinAntwerp:“TheytoldusatDunkirkthatwewereallgoingtobekilled
​
.”Brookeis
33
wellawareofthebrutalitythatwillcomedefinethebloodywarahead.Fromhis
correspondenceBrookesays“It’sabloodything,halftheyouthofEuropeblownthroughpainto
nothingness,intheincessantmechanicalslaughterofthesemodernbattles.”Thereisno
romanticisminBrooke’sdescriptionofwarasa“mechanicalslaughter.”Itisthekindof
descriptiononewouldexpectfromapoetlaterinthewar,onewhohadfullyexperiencedthe
horrorofthetrenches.
TheactionBrookesawatAntwerpwasasiege.HimselfandtheRoyalNavaldivision
wereessentiallytrapped.Despiteseeingthehorrorsofshells,machineguns,andmassive
armiesthepoetrythatBrookewritesafterhisexperienceinAntwerparenotsographicashis
personalcorrespondence.Insteadtheyareveryatpeacewithdeath,andseemtopraisethe
upcoming,almostinescapabledeath.InhissecondsonnetwrittenafterAntwerp“Safety,”
Brookesays:
“Wehavegainedapeaceunshakenbypainforever.
Warknowsnopower.Safeshallbemygoing.
Secretlyarmedagainstalldeath’sendeavour;
Safethoughallsafety’slost;safewheremenfall;
Andifthesepoorlimbsdie,safestofall.”
Thisrhetoricacceptstheindividualdeathasanecessarysacrifice.Mostclearlydepicted
throughcontrastingthethirdpersonsubjectivepronoun,“wehavegainedapeace,”withthefirst
32
“ThePoetryoftheFirstWorldWar,”editedbySantanuDas.Chapter3“EarlyPoetsoftheFirstWorld
War,”ElizabethVandivercitingBrooke,“Letters,6323.”
33
“ThePoetryoftheFirstWorldWar,”editedbySantanuDas.Chapter3“EarlyPoetsoftheFirstWorld
War,”ElizabethVandivercitingBrooke,“Letters,6323.”pg73
24
personobjectivepronoun,“Safeshallbemygoing.”Throughobjectifyinghimself,andhis
publishedworksbeinganexampleforothers,Brookemakespeacewithdeathforthegreater
good.Fora“peaceunshakenbypain.”Itisthiskindoflanguagewhichwillresurrectitselffor
theFirstWorldWartobeknownastheWartoEndAllWars.EvenBrookesdepictionofdeathis
inbinary,becauseheisdeadheisnolongerindanger,andthusisthe:safestofall.”
Thefirst,andonly,barrageofBrooke’swarpoem’scameoutafterhistimeservingwith
theRoyalNavalDivisionduringOctoberDecemberof1914.Itwasentitledsimply“1914,”the
firstsonnetintheseriesiscalled“Peace.”“Peace,”beginsbyidentifyingthebrewingwarasthe
definingmomentofageneration“GodbethankedWhohasmatcheduswithHishour/and
caughtouryouthandwakenedusfromsleeping.”Priortotheinstigationofconscriptionin1916
theBritishgovernmentbeganproducingposters,andpropaganda,designedtoencourage
citizenstoenlistinthearmedservices.ThereisaninfamousposterofLordKitchener,Secretary
ofStateforWar,pointingtothereaderandsaying“Brittons,(pictureofLordKitchener)wants
you.Joinyourcountry'sarmy!GodsavetheKing.”BoththeKitchenerposterandRupert
BrookeappealedtoGod.TheposterofLordKitchenerwasalreadyincirculationbeforeBrooke
leftforAntwerp
​
.IntheposterofLordKitchenerGodisidentifiedastheprotectoroftheKing
34
“Godsavetheking,”andthusthestate.WhereasinBrooke’ssonnetGodisacknowledgedas
thestirrerofthecominggenerationandaswho“matcheduswithHishour.”WhenBrooke’s
poemiscontrastedwiththeposterofLordKitcheneritispossibletoimaginetheyouthof
Brooke’spoembeingmatchedwiththedefenseoftheking.Withthisreadinginmindonecan
reallyquestionthedualuseof“caught,”inthepoem.MakingitseemasiftheyouthofEngland
werefarfromvolunteersbutratheranimalstrappedandawokenbysomegreaterpowerforthe
solepurposeofprotectingtheKing.
34
PossiblyevenbeforeBrookejoinedthearmy.
25
ItseemsthatBrookehastroubledefininghiswarexperienceinhispoetry.Although
Brookeonlyservedashorttimeinthewarfromhispersonalcorrespondenceitispossibleto
seethathewasdefinitelyimpactedbythegruesomeexperience.YetthepoetryBrooke
publishesdoesn’tdeviatemuchfromthepoetryhepublishedbeforethewar.Inthesonnetfrom
“1914,”entitled“IV.TheDead,”Brookesoundsunlatchedfromreality.Thenarratortakesonno
personalpronounandonly“he,”ismentionedonceinthefinalstanza.Thepoemisnotplaced
inawarsetting,norconcretelyplacedinanylocationbutthesunset:
“Theyearshadgiventhemkindness.Dawnwastheirs,
Andsunset,andthecoloursoftheearth.
Thesehadseenmovement,andheardmusic;known
Slumberandwaking;loved;goneproudlyfriended;
feltthequickstirofwonder;satalone.”
Thesubjectsofthispoemassumably“TheDead,”havecertainlylived.Theyhaveexperienced
allthequalitiesoflife.Experiencedthechangesoftime,hadfriends,beenisolated,andhave
beenanimated.EvenbyShakespear’sstandardstheyarehumanfortheyhavebeenfilledwith
music.Socertainlybytheirdeath“Allthishasended.”Thispoemdealswiththelossofhuman
lifewhichBrookeexperiencedatthesiegeofAntwerp.Althoughhewritesitasifhewasnot
dealingwithdead.Ratherheusesalotofthesameimageryinwritingaboutthelossofa
romanticfling.Forexamplecomparethewritingabovetothe1905poementitled“The
Beginning.”:
“Myeagerfeetshallfindyouagain,
Thoughthesullenyearsandthemarkofpain
Havechangedyouwholly;forIshallknow
(HowcouldIforgethavinglovedyouso?),
Inthesadhalflightofevening,
Thefacethatwasmysunrising.
SothenattheendsoftheearthI’llstand
26
Andholdyoufiercelybeeitherhander,
Andseeingyourageandashenhair
I’llcursethethingthatonceyouwere
Becauseitischangedandpaleandold.
AndIlovedyoubeforeyouwereoldandwise,
Whentheflameofyouthwasstronginyoureyes,
Andmyheartissickwithmemorise
​
.”
35
InbothpoemsBrookereferencesmovement.In“TheDead,”Brookedistancesthedeadfrom
thelivingbyusingthethirdpersonobjectivepronoun,makingthebodiesobjects.StillBrooke
describesthesebodiesashavingagency.Suggestingthat,perhapsthespiritsofthedeadhad
observedtheirphysicallives.“Thesehadseenmovement…Slumberandwaking.”In“The
Beginning,”Brookeascribeshisactionstohisbody:“myfeetshallfindyouagain.”Distancing
himselffromhisbodythroughthefirstpersonsubjectivepronoun.Asifhisbodywas
unconsciouslywanderingtowardshislostlove.Throughidentifyingthebodyasthecenterof
actionBrooketakesawaytheahumanelementtotheaction.Notaskinghoworwhybutsimply
statingthattheseactionsoccurredasthebodymoved.Althoughbothpoemsalludetothe,
rotationoftheearth,sunriseandsunsetin“TheDead,”Brookeusespasttense.“Thedawnwas
theirs.”Brookeismakingapointdeeperthanhavingseenthesunriseandset.Brookelater
saysthatthe“coloursoftheearth,”alsobelongtothedead.Withoutthepoeticformonecould
iteratethatthedeadhavelosttheirabilitytoperceive.Notjustthattheyareblindbutthatthey
alreadyexperiencetherotationoftheworld,thepassageoftime,alife.
In“TheBeginning,”thenarratorisreflectingonhismemoriesofhislovebutalso
projectingforwardtowhenhewillseeheragain:“Inthesadhalflightofevening,thefacethat
wasmysunrising.”Herethememoriesgivethenarratorhopewhereasin“TheDead,”the
narratordoesn’tgiveanyreferencetoeithermemoryorhope.Mostlikelybecausethenarrator
of“TheDead,”seesthatasemptyandhollowwhichiswhyhecanonlyrecordtheiraction,even
35
FromBrooke’s“CollectedPoems1916.”Althoughthepoemisdated1905.Shownarelines520.
27
thenonlyingeneralizations.Thenarratorof“TheBeginning,”isfullofhopeofbeingreunited.
Suggestingthatthisunificationwillstoptime,therotationoftheearth:“Sothenattheendsof
theearthI’llstandandholdyoufiercelybeeitherhand.”Althoughtheprotagonistsof“The
Dead,”havesurelylived,theyhavehadactionswhichcanbedescribedasbeinghuman.
Brookeusesathirdpersonobjectivepronoun,them/their,whichdistancestheindividualsfrom
theiractionsandturnseachpersonintoacollective“them.”Atonepointthenarratoreven
describethedeadcollectiveas“these,”dehumanizingthetragedyofanindividualdeath.
Alienatingthereadersofarastoforgetthatthesedeadwereoncepeople.Throughfusingan
individualintoananalogousgroupBrookehasalleviatedthesufferingandpainthatanyoneof
thesedead’sfamilywouldenure.
Theprotagonistof“TheBeginning,”seemsmuchmorelivelybecauseBrookeusesthe
firstpersonsubjectivepronoun,whichallowsthenarratortoinjecttheirhopes,feelings,and
fearsintoapieceofliterature.Allowingthereadertotrulyempathizewiththenarratorasthey
aregivenasubjectivefirsthandaccountoftheprotagonist’sexperiences.InthepoetryBrooke
publishedbeforethewarBrookefavouredthefirstpersonpronounforhispoetry.Onaverage
Brookewouldusethefirstpersonpronoun60%ofthetime
​
.SinceBrookediedin1915he
36
didn’twritealotofpoetryaboutthewar,theonlypublished,writtenworkisthe“1914”collection
ofsonnetsandafragmentwhichwaslaterpublished.So,thereisnotalottogooffbutwhen
analyzingthecollectionofwartimesonnets,“1914,”theaveragenumberoftimesBrookeuses
thefirstpersonpronounisdownto42%
​
.MostoftenBrooke’snarratorburieshimselfinthe
37
thirdperson,asonetheindividualsinvolvedinanexperience.SinceBrookewasnewto
36
Anaveragederivedfromhisworksinthecompiled1914“NewNumbers.”Thequarterlyprintedbythe
Gloucestershirepoets.
37
Anaverageoftheuseoffirstpersonpronounsusedinpoetryforthe“1914”collectionandanaddition
fragment.Givenasafractionitis2.⅚.Iusedahalftallyforthepersonalpronounsbecausein“II.Safety,”
Brookeusesthethirdpersonpersonalpronounthroughoutthepoemandinthefinalstanzacitesthefirst
personalpronoun“I.”
28
solderingitisquitepossiblethatheistryingtodistancehimselffromthefightingbyusingthe
thirdpersonpronoun.
D3SiegfriedSassoon
~~~~~~~~~~~
SiegfriedSassoonwasneveramemberoftheGloucestershirepoets.Hisprewarworks
wereneverwidelypublishedandalthoughhewaseducatedatCambridgeSassoonlivedthe
reclusivelifeofafoxhuntingcountrygentlemanbeforetheoutbreakofwar.AlthoughSassoon
didhavesomeofhisversespublishedprivately.Oneofthesepublicationsmadeitswayintothe
handsofEdwardMarsh ,theeditorof“GeorgianPoetry(1912).”AfterreadingsomeSassoon’s
38
privatelypublishedversesEdwardMarshorganizedameetingbetweenSiegfriedSassoonand
RupertBrooke
​
.AfterSassonmetthefaceofGeorgianpoetry,ayoungermoresuccessful
39
Cambridgegraduate,Sassoonbecamedisillusionedwithhislife .Thisstateofdiscontentis
40
oftencreditedasthereasonSassoonjoinedthearmy.HewasinuniformthedayBritain
DeclaredwaronGermany,makinghimthefirstoftheGreatWarpoetsinuniform
​
.Sassoon
41
wasshowntobeaheadofthecurveinbothhisMilitaryandLiterarycareers.Twothingsthat
workedintangentforhim,ashighlightedinanextractfromSassoon’sdiary,“Iamboundtoget
itinthenecksometime,sowhynotmakeacredibleshow,andletpeopleseethatpoetscan
fightaswellasanybodyelse?
​
”
42
38
“PoetryoftheFirstWorldWar:ananthology,”EditedbyTimKendall
39
“PoetryoftheFirstWorldWar:ananthology,”EditedbyTimKendall
40
“PoetryoftheFirstWorldWar:ananthology,”EditedbyTimKendall
41
​OnemustrememberthatwarinEuropehadbeenbrewingsincethedeathofPrince
Ferdinand.MostrecenttoBritain’sdeclarationofwar,RussiahadmobilizedattheendofJuly
withGermanyandFrancefollowingsuitontheFirstofAugust.FinallyBritaindeclaredwaron
August4thwhentheGermanarmyfailedtoleaveBelgium,whichtheyhaveinvadedthe
previousday.
42
“Outinthedark:PoetryoftheFirstWorldWar,”EditedbyDavidRoberts.
29
BeforeSassooncouldseeactionwiththeSussexYeomanry,theregimenthewas
initiallyassignedto,hewastransferredtotheWelshFusiliers.Sassoon’stransfertotheWelsh
FusiliersprobablydidnotchangetheoutcomeoftheWorldWarOnebutSassoon’stransfer
wascriticalinshapingthepoetrythatwastothroughoutthewar.Twoofthreepoetswhowould
makeuptheCraiglockhartPoets,inconjunctionwithDavidJonesallservedintheWelsh
Fusiliers.ThereisalsoanoftwistoffateinhowtheGeorgianpoetswhowouldbuildonthe
GloucestershirestyleofpoetryservedwiththeWelshFusiliers,stationedacrosstheWyefrom
Gloucestershire.WhileservingintheWelshFusiliersSiegfriedSassoonmetandbefriendfellow
officerRobertGraves.RobertGraveswouldworkwithSassoontocreatemanyofthemotifs
thatareviewedasthestandardsofWorldWarOnepoetry;theemptymorbidatmosphere,
ensconcedwithGeorgiansensibilities,andfutility.
​
BothSassoonandGraveswouldgoonto
43
writedefinitiveprocessexperiencesoftheGreatWar.
“Sassoon’srelationshipwithGraveswoulddescendintodecadeslongacrimonyaftertheWar,
butatthetimehecreditedhisnewallywithteachinghimhowtowritenaturallyand
idiomatically.Graveshadseenaction,andhadtriedtowriterealisticallyabouthisexperiences;
Sassoon’spoetry,bycontrast,hadseemedtoconsistchieflyoffindesicledreaminess... ”
44
Sassoon’swarpoetrywaspopularduringthewar.Hepublishedtwoanthologiesduringthewar
whichcontainedsomeofhiswarpoems“TheOldHuntsmanandOtherPoems ,”and
45
“CounterAttackandOtherPoems .”Inadditionsomeofhispoemswerepublishedin
46
periodicalssuchas“CambridgeMagazine ,”“TheLiteraryDigest ,”andofcoursethe
47 48
43
Mostnotablythereoccurringthemeoftherotationoftheearth,e.g.sunsetandsunrise.Alongwitha
strangeobsessionwithroadsandwheretheyleadto,athememadefamousbyRobertFrostwhowasone
oftheoriginalpoetsatDymock.
44
“PoetryoftheFirstWorldWar:ananthology,”EditedbyTimKendall​page85.
45
​TheOldHuntsmanandOtherPoems(Heinemann,1917)cite
“http://www.warpoets.org/poets/siegfriedsassoon18861967/”
46
​CounterAttackandOtherPoems(Heinemann,1918)cite
“http://www.warpoets.org/poets/siegfriedsassoon18861967/”
47
http://www.lib.cam.ac.uk/exhibitions/Sassoon/War_Poet.html
30
Craiglockhartserial“Hydra .”Sassoonwasalsofeaturedinthe1917and1919“Georgian
49
Poetry,”anthologies.Sassoonalreadyarecognisablevoiceforpoetrybeforethewarhadeven
cometoaclose.Sassoondidreachthefronttill1915bywhichthewarwasalreadyastatic
atmosphereoftrenchwarfare.Duetothewoundshewouldreceivedin1917Sassoonwas
neverapartofthesweepingoffensivesthatmarkedthefinaldaysofthewar.AlthoughSassoon
outlivedthewarhewaswoundedseveraltimes,givinghimafewshortstintsinwhichtorefine
andpublishhispoetry.DuetothetimeperiodinwhichSassoonwasatthefronttheactionthat
Sassoonsawwasveryatypicalofwhatonecouldfathomaboutconditionsinthetrenchesfrom
theGreatWar:Barragesofartilleryfollowedbytroopsgoingoverthetopintoahailof
machinegunfireandthentraversingthebarbwireriddendesolationofnoman’sland.The
WelshFusilierssawactioninMametzWood andPasschendaele ,twonotoriouslybloody
50 51
battles.NotedforhisbraveryinactionSassoonwasawardedtheMilitaryCrossandnicknamed
“MadJack.”
ThepoetrythatSassoonwritesishighlyselfaware.InhisdiarySassoonisquite
concernedaboutwhatpeoplewillthinkofhisactions:“Iwanttogetagoodnameinthe
battalion,forthesakeofpoetryandpoets,whomIrepresent
​
.”AlthoughSassoon’spoetryis
52
highlyemotionallycharged,oftenutilizingthefirstpersonsubjectivepronoun.Thealmost
constantdesirewhichSassoonexpressesforgreatness,ormakinganameforhimself,leds
Sassoontobemoreinclinedtousethefirstpersonpersonalpronounwhendescribingaction.
Sassoonusesthefirstpersonpronouninhispoetryonaverage56%ofthetime.Thisismore
oftenthantherunoftheotherwarpoet’swhowillbeexplored.InanoddtwistSassoonalso
48
http://siegfriedsassoon.firstworldwarrelics.co.uk/html/periodicals.html
49
http://siegfriedsassoon.firstworldwarrelics.co.uk/html/periodicals.html
50
​4,000Britishcasualties.http://www.greatwar.co.uk/somme/memorial38division.htm
51
​325,000Alliedcasualties.
“http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwone/battle_passchendaele.shtml”
52
Sassoon’sdiaryentrydatedMarch31st1916.“OutoftheDarkPoetryoftheFirstWorldWar.”Editedby
DavidRoberts.
31
usesofthesecondpersonpersonalpronounatanalarminglyhighrate.OftenSassoonusesthe
pronountodescribetheactionoftheprotagonistsbutwiththistechniqueSassoonalsodirectly
addressesthereader.OnaverageSassoonusesthesecondpersonpronoun39%ofthetime.
InhispoetrySassoonplayswiththeadialoguebetweenthenarratorandreader.
ThroughusingthefirstpersonsubjectivepronounSassondirectlyrelateshisexperience
tothereader.Forexample“Ididthis.”Allowinghisemotiontobedirectlytranslatedtothe
reader.WhileinsomecasesSassondirectshisnarrationsdirectlytothereaderthroughthe
secondpersonobjectivepronoun“youdidthis”.Whichdrawsthereaderintothepoemby
directlyaddressingcommunicatingwiththem.Thistechniqueinfusesthereaderintotheaction
ofpoem,makingtheaudienceofhispoemsanimportantaspecttohisdesireandstylein
writing.Insomecases,byusingbothfirstandsecondpersonpronounsinasinglepoem,
Sassooncreatesadialogueinidentifyingandseparatingthenarratorandthereader.
Sassooncreatesanenvironmentwherewethereaderaredirectlyaddressed.This
highfrequencyatwhichthesecondpersonobjectivepronounisused(“you,”“him,”“her,”)
becomesauniquefeaturespecifictoSassoon’sstyleofpoetry.ParticularlyonceSassoon
beginstoprotestagainstthecontinuationofthewartheabilitytocommunicatedirectlywiththe
readergiveshispoemsapalpablepotency.Imagineduringthewarreadingapoemwhich
directlyasksquestionsoftoyou,thereader,abouthowthewarisbeingfought.Onereasonfor
thestylizedchoiceisthatSassooncitesthatthepublic’signoranceoftheconditionsofthewar
allowsthewartobeprolongedwithoutpurpose(seeexcerptbelow):
“Theygloryinthemockheroismoftheiryoungmen.Theygloryinthemechanical
phrasesoftheNorthcliffePress.Theyregardtheprogressofthewarlikeagameofchess,
cacklingabout‘attrition,’and‘wastageofmanpower,’and‘civilizationatstake.’Ineveryclassof
societythereareoldmenlikeghouls,insatiableintheirdesireforslaughter,impenetrablein
theirignorance.Soldiersconcealtheirhatredforthewar.Civiliansconcealtheirlikingofit.”
32
AlargechunkofSassoon’spoetryisaimedatplacingindividualsatthehomefrontinthe
trenches,oratleastgivingthemataste.Sassoonpreparesanatmosphereofdangerand
death,whereultimatelynoonewinsasin“CounterAttack,”orsterileineffectiveineffectual
scapessuchasin“BaseDetails.”Theseenvironmentsgobeyondtheimminentinternal
monologueofasoldierinthetrenches,whichSassoonvividlyexpressesinsomeofhismore
personalpoemssuchas“NightAttack.”ThepoetryinwhichSassoonembracestheuseofthe
secondpersonobjectivepronouncanbeseenasSassoonusingaweaponofprotest,designed
toeducatetheignoranceofthosewhosupportaprolongedandpoorlyfoughtwar.
Sassoon’spoetryoccupiesaninterestingpositioninitsrelationtothewar.Since
Sassoonlivedthroughthewarandfoughtatthefront,until1917.Sassoon’spoemsjump
betweenbeingforwarandglorythenprotestingagainstapoorlyfoughtwar.Ifonelooksat
Sassoon’spersonaldiaryitbecomesapparentthatSassoonisgenuinelyinterestedinbeingan
effectivesoldier:

“Sittinginatrenchwaitingforariflegrenadeisn’tfighting:warisclamberingoutofthe
toptrenchat3o’clockinthemorningwithalotofrumdruggedsoldierswhodon’tknowwhere
they’regoinghalfofthemtobeblastedwithmachinegunsatpointblankrangetryingtoget
overthewirewhichourartilleryhavefailedtodestroy
​
.”
53
Thisexcerptisalmostlikeadefinitionofwar.InitwefindissueswithSassoonwilllatergrapple
withwhenhewriteshismoreantiwarpoetry,suchasthefailureoftheartillerytoclearapath
leadingtothedeathofdrunktroops.Yetinthisdefinitionthereisapalpableexcitementfor
climbingoverthetop.Sassoonissoabletoclearlydefinewhathelikesaboutwar.
TheSassoon’stonebecomesincreasinglyangryin1916whenacollegefriendwith
whomhewenttoCambridgewithwaskilledatthefront.DavidThomas,whoSassoonwasin
53
Sassoon’sdiaryentrydatedApril4th1916.“OutoftheDarkPoetryoftheFirstWorldWar.”Editedby
DavidRoberts
33
lovewithwaskilled.AlthoughthelovewasneverrealizedSassoonwasequallydevastatedby
thenews.ThisinabilitytoreconcilethedeathofhisunrequitedlovecausedSassoonalotof
painandaggravation,angerwhichhedirectedattheGermans.Thisconcoctionoffeelings,
angeroverthedeathofanunrealizedloveandadesireforgreatness,pushedSassooninto
writingpoetrywhichexposedthepleasurehetookfromkillingtheGermansinwhatcouldonly
bethoughtofaslustyrevenge .“TheKiss”isaprimeexampleofthistypeofbehaviour.The
54
kisswhichthepoemdescribesisactuallyadescriptionofabayonetstabbingadazedGerman.
Fromtheuseofthefirstpersonsubjectivepronounwecantellthatthenarratorisexpressing
theirfeelings,alongwiththeuseofthesecondpersonsubjectivepronountodescribehisbullet
“BrotherLead.”Suggesting,atleastatmetaphoricallevel,thatSassoonhasbecomeakindred
spiritwithbulletsandbayonetsweaponsofwar.
ThereisaperiodofSassoon'spoetrywhichshowcasethisoddmixofastrivingdesire
forgreatnessandundulatingangeratthelossofhislove.Thesefeelingarenotthe
predominantsentimentofallofSassoon’spoetrybutitcertainlyhasitsplace.Themanifestation
ofangerandgreatnesscomesinhisdesiretokill.Sassoonisrarelyspecificaboutwhohe
wantstokillinhispoetry.InsteadofafesteringhatredofGermansSassoonappears
empathetictothosewhoisfightingagainst.Oftenhumanizingandpresentingthestrugglesof
warthattheGermansarealsofacing.Forexamplein“TheGloryofWomen,”Sassoonreveals
thathispoemisactuallyaddressedtoboththewomenofBritainandGermany,specificallya
Germanmotherwhoisknittingsockswhileherchildisbeingtrampledfurtherintothemud.If
suchahumanscenehaddepictedanEnglishMotheritcouldverywellhavebeenseenas
54
AnexcerptfromSiegfriedSassoon’sdiarydatedApril4th1916reads:
“Iwanttosmashsomeone’sskull…Ican’tgetmyownbackforHamoandTommythatway.WhileIam
angrywiththeenemy,asIamlately.Imustworkitoff.”
34
beingagainstthewareffor t.AlthoughthepoemwaspublishedinDecemberof1918in
55
“CounterAttackandOthersPoems,”onemustrememberthatthewarwasn’tresolveduntil
November.
Sassoon’spoetrytakesadefiniteturnagainstthewar,againsthisturntogreatnessin
1917.Whenhisangerisfocusedonhowthewarisbeingfought.Sassoon’sangeratthe
prolongingofthewariselucidatedinhis1917lettertoParliament“TheWilfulDisobedienceto
MilitaryAuthority,”ThislettermakesplainthatthewarwhichAsthroughmakingtheHunseem
morehumanSassoonwasgivingthetroopsanexcusetoempathizewiththeirenemy.
AscenewithsimilarsentimentcanbefoundinSassoon’spoem“NightAttack.”Wherein
themidstofdescribingasuccessfulBritishassaultonaGermantrenchSassoon’snarrator
usingthefirstpersonsubjectivepronounpausestothinkaboutthedead:
“HewasaPrussianwithadecentface,
Youngandfresh,andpleasant,soIdaretosay.
Nodoubtheloathedthewarandlongedforpeace,
Andcursedoursoulsbecausewekilledhisfriends.”
Theuseofthefirstpersonsubjectivepronoungivesthepoem’snarratoranempathetictone,as
thereaderisexperiencingthescenethroughthenarrator’ssubjectivereality.Whendescribing
thedeadBoschethenarratorhidesthewordpleasantbetweentwocommas,thispunctuation
signifiesthattheyoungandfreshGermanhasbeensufficientlydescribed.Thusthemodifier
pleasant,whichisasubjectiveadjective,comesasapersonalreflectionuponthedead.The
narratorissoingrainedwiththeideaofhisenemybeingabrutalfoethatthoughtofseeingone
aspleasantsurpriseshim.Surpriseshiminawaywhichcausesfear,“soIdaretosay,”the
55
Althoughthereisconjecture,Sassoondecidednottopublishedthepoem“NightAttack,”duringthewar
forfearit“mightbealtogethertoocontentious.”“SiegfriedSassoon:AStudyofWarPoetry.”ByPatrick
Campbell.Page110.
35
narratorsoundsalmostashedoesn’tthinkanyonewillbelievehim,orworsewillberidiculedfor
havingsuchathought.
Sassoongoeson,inthepoem,todescribetheBritishattackfromtheperspectiveofthe
deadGermanusingthesecondpersonsubjectivepronounforthenextthreestanzas,halfthe
poem.ForcingthereadertolivetheimaginedlifeofaGermantrooperforatleasthalfthepoem.
ThisuniversalityinthelifeofthesoliderstrikestrueforSassoon,alongwiththeotherGeorgian
Poets.Infactinmostofthepoemsthatdescribethefrontlines,andtheatrociousconditionsin
thetrenches,oncecouldbeamissastowhotheEnglishwerefighting.Sassoongivesonly
crypticreferencestheenemyastheBosch,Prussians,ortheAllemands.Simplythatatthefront
therewereshells,bulletshots,andpeopledying.Onlythreepoemsdirectlyreferencewhothe
englisharefighting,oneofwhichis“TheGloryofWomen.”
InhispoetrySassoonsavesaplacefordistainonlyforthehighrankingofficersofhis
ownarmyandfortheministrythatsupportthewar.In“TheGeneral,”Sassoonmakeslightof
thecheerydemeanorofaGeneralwhocomestogreethissoldiersontheirwaytothefont.The
brighteagernessoftheGeneral’s“Goodmorning;goodmorning!”contrastswiththelugubrious
melancholyofthetroopswho“sloggeduptoArraswithrifleandpack.”Asifevenwalkingwasa
battleforthem.TheGeneral’soblivious,orinconsiderate,understandingoftheconditionofhis
troopsisreflectedinthenarrator'sinternalmonologue:“Nowthesoldiershesmiledatmostof
‘emdead.”TheGeneralisinordinatelyignorantofhistroops.Thisignoranceseemstobea
majorfactorthatcontributestoSassoon’srage.Howcansomeonebeexpectedtoleadtheir
troopsefficientlyinsuchacondition.Sassoonhimselfwasacompanycommander.Garnering
respectfromthemenwhofoughtunderhim.SoSassoon’sangerwhichinturnprovideshis
depictionoftheofficersencounteredinhispoemsshouldholdswaywiththereader,asthese
arehyperbolesofafirsthandaccount.
36
SomeofSassoon’sangerisdirectedtothepeopleservingon‘thehomefront,’whilsta
vastreserveisdishedoutloquaciouslytothehighrankingofficersandministerswhoare
engagedinthewareffort.Thepoem“BaseDetails,”reflectsSassoon’sdisdainforignorancein
theverytitle.SuggestingthatwheretheHeadquartersis,thebase,thereisalackof
information,onlydetails.Thesubjectmatterofthispoemisthelifestyleofahighlevelofficer.
Thepoempaintsapicturethatthosemenwholiveattheheadquartersareblissfullyignorantof
therealitiesofthewar.Thetitleitselfgivesananswerastowhytheofficersareignorantofthe
actionatthefront.Sincetheseofficersarelivingawayfromthefront,atabase,oftenafrench
villaorhotel,onlythescantestsecondhanddescriptionsoftrenchwarfareexist.“BaseDetails,”
isoneofSassoon’smorepointedpoemsdirectedattheblubberinginadequacyofthemilitary
menplanningthewar:
BaseDetails
“IfIwerefierce,andbald,andshortofbreath,
I’dlivewiththescarletMajorsattheBase,
Andspeedglumheroesupthelinetodeath.
You’dseemewithmypuffypetulantface,
Guzzlingandgulpinginthebesthotel,
ReadingtheRollofHonor.‘Pooryoungchap,’
I’dsay‘Iusedtoknowhisfatherwell;
Yes,we’velostheavilyinthislastscrap.’
Andwhenthewarisdoneandyouthstonedead,
I’dtoddlesafelyhomeanddieinbed.”
Thispoemisactuallyahypothetical.Itbeginswith“if”suggestinganalternaterealityandthenis
strengthenedbytheusethefirstpersonsubjectivepronounthroughoutthepoem.Thisgivesthe
poemaplayfultonebeginning“IfIwere
​
.”UsingthisstyleofhypotheticalrhetoricalSassoon
56
56
I’vefoundfourpoemsthatdirectlyusehypotheticalsinthefirstpersonalpronoun.Theseare“ToAny
DeadOfficer.”“WhenI’mamongablazeoflights.”Blighters,”“DiedofWounds.”Theuseofthese
hypotheticalsareindicativeofSassoon’sdesireforthoseatthehomefronttounderstandtheconditionsin
thetrenches.Thisisactuallyswitchedin“WhenI’mamongablazeoflights,”asSassoonimaginesaworld
whichheisnotatthefrontandthereisseeminglynowar..
37
disarmsthereader,askingthemtoimagineadifferentworld.Usinghypotheticalsisatechnique
thatSassoonusesinotherpoemssuchasin“[T]oAnyDeadOfficer,”and“DiedofWounds.
ThefunnythingaboutthispoemisthatitsoundslikeSassoonwouldn’tdoanythingdifferentlyin
thishypothetical.IfindeedthisperceptionoftheBritishOfficerclassasinefficientand
inadequateweretrueSassoonisanactualaexception.Hewasacompanycommanderwho
hadearnedamilitarycrossandwasknownforhismadcouragedisplayedatthefront .Yet,
57
thisisexactlywhatthe“scarletMajors,”werenotdoing.Sassoonusesthefirstperson
subjectivepronountoshowhowanindividualcouldliveincompleteignoranceofthefront.Set
somewherefarfromthetrenchesthispoempraisesthetroopsinalanguageofeuphemism.A
euphemismwhichexistsduetoignorance.Anexampleofthisiscallingthemilitaryoffensivea
“scrap,”asifthefightingofthewarwasthesameasafightoccurringonaschoolplayground.
“BaseDetails,”separatesthenarratorandthereaderfromtheusuallyvividandviolent
experienceofwarthatSassoonoftendepictsinthefirstpersonpronoun.Insteadthereaderis
metwithhaughtydissonance.“You’dseemewithmypuffypetulantface,Guzzlingandgulping
inthebesthotel.”Asimilarformofdissonancecanbefoundinperspectiveofyoungofficers.
SuchasinSassoon’spoem“Wires,”whichdescribesasquadofsoldiersresettingbarbedwire
infrontofthetrenchline.Thefinalstanzaisadirectallusiontothemindsetofheldbyyoung
offices.“YoungHugheswasbadlyhit;Iheardhimcarriedaway,Moaningateverylurch;no
doubthe’lldietoday./Butwecansaythefrontlinewire’sbeensafelymended.”
Aproductofthisenvironmentofignorancewasthepropagationofnewtermstodescribe
events.Termsandphraseswhich,inessence,destroyedtheabilitytounderstandconditionsat
thetrenches.Bylimitinglanguageandchanginghowindividualsspeak,andtherefore
comprehend,anyonewhohadnotservedinthetrencheswouldstruggletounderstandthe
57
“OutinTheDark:PoetryoftheFirstWorldWar,”editedbyDavidRoberts.Page122
38
realitiesoftrenchwarfare.Sassoontendstotryandcombatthisuseofignoranceand
doublespeaktoopentheeyesofthosewhoarekeptinthedarkaboutthewar.Hencewhy
Sassoonpromotestheuseofthesecondpersonpersonalpronoun.Using“you,”Sassoonis
abletodirectlytransportthereaderintotheconditionsofthetrenches.ThroughIronyand
descriptiveexperienceSassoonisabletransfigurehowindividualsthink,andthereforespeak
aboutthewar.Sassoon’swillfuldespiseofhighrankingofficersandpriestscanbeexplainedas
theypromotethelanguageofdoublespeak.Newspublications,suchastheNorthcliffepressin
anexcerptfromSassoon’sdiary,alsoaggravateSassoon.Asthepressiscrucialincreatingan
environmentofeuphemism.Onewhichpervadesnotonlyintheconsciousofthepublicbutalso
thesoldiery.
DuringtheprocessofWorldWarOnewords,andphrases,begantoenterthepublished
languagewhichpromotedastateofignorance.Thisignorancewasnotdesignedinmalicebutit
comeaboutduetoalackoffirsthandaccountavailabletothepublic.Anexampleofthe
rudimentaryunderstandingwhichsomeoneonthehomefrontwouldhaveofthewaroccursin
“GloryofWomen,”InthispoemSassoon’snarratorfocusesonawoman’sperspectiveofthe
FirstWorldWar.ForexampleasaBritishwoman“Youcan’tbelievethatBritishtroops‘retire.’”
Notethequotationmarksabovetheword‘retire.’Theuseofquotationmarkssuggestthatthe
speakerdoesn’tactuallyknowwhatretiremeans.Theyarequotingthewordverbatim,asifthey
hadreadthewordinanewspaperorhearditontheradio.Thequotationmarksgofurtherto
thatthewordisinterchangeable.ByputtingthewordretireinquotationmarksSassoonmake
clearthattheread“you“doesn’tunderstandwhattheBritishtroopsdo,whetheritbeto‘retire’
orto‘advance’.ThusSassoonasksthereadertothinkaboutthelanguagethattheyuse.
Sassooncontinuestoposequestionstothereaderbyhighlightingeuphoriclanguagein
quotationmarks.In“ToanyDeadOfficer,”Sasson’snarratorcontraststhesecondperson
39
personalpronoun(“you,”)withthefirstpersonsubjectivepronoun(“I”).Theeffectofswitching
betweenthetwoformsofpersonalpronoun(“you,”and“I,”)createsastorywherethenarratoris
indirectionconversationwiththereader.Inthefourthstanzaof“ToanyDeadOfficer,”the
narratordescribestheoutcomeofafailedpatrol:
“Sowhentheytoldmeyou’dbeenleftfordead
Iwouldn’tbelievethem,feelingit​must
​
betrue.
NextweekthebloodyRollofHonorsaid
“Woundedandmissing”(That’sthethingtodo
Whenladsareleftinshellholesdyingslow,
Withnothingbutblankskyandwoundsthatache,
Moaningforwatertilltheyknow
It’snight,andthenit’snotworthwhiletowake!) ”
58
Thebackandforthbetweenthefirstpersonandsecondpersonpersonalpronounculminatein
thisstanzawiththeadditionofparenthesis.Theuseofparenthesiscreatesanomnipotent
featurewhichtranscendsthebackandforthbetweenthenarratorandthereader.Thenarrator
exitsthedialogueofthestoryinordertoexplainwhatthe“Woundedandmissing,”ontheHonor
Rollmeans.Sincethereader’savatar(“you,”)hasbeenlistedontheRollofHonoras
“Woundedandmissing.”ItmakessensethatSassoon’snarratortakestheopportunitypause
thepoemtoexplainthesemilitaryterminologiestothereaderinazoneseparatetothepoem.
ThisshowthatSassoonwasawarethatbeyondadialoguewithheneededtoeducatethe
readertounderstandtheidiomsandeuphemismsusedbythearmyandthepress.
Iftheinformationintheparenthesiswasexcludedfromthepoemthereaderwouldbe
lefttoimaginewhatitwouldbeliketobe“WoundedandMissing.”Thephrasemakesitsound
likethereisstillhope.Thedescriptiongiveninsidetheparenthesisleavesthereaderwithavery
specificimage.Thepoemhasbeenframedtoshowthatwithoutexperience,orinformation,the
58
“OutintheDarkPoetryoftheFirstWorldWar.”EditedbyDavidRoberts.Page121.
40
readerwhatbeamissastowhat“woundedandmissing,”actuallymeans.Beingpublishedin
June1917
​
Sassoonhadbecomewellacquaintedwiththerealityofwhatwoundedand
59
missingment.Comingtotheconclusionthatpeoplewouldprefertobetoldthatthanthetruth.
“(That’sthethingtodo
Whenladsareleftinshellholesdyingslow,
Withnothingbutblankskyandwoundsthatache,
Moaningforwatertilltheyknow
It’snight,andthenit’snotworthwhiletowake!)”
Althoughonecouldmaketheargument,asmanyhave,thatBritainattheturnofthe
centurywasexcitedforwar,almostbelievingthatwarwasnecessary.Thenavalarmsracewith
Germanyattheturnofthecenturyactedasagreatsymbolfornationalism.Therewasa
brewingantiGermansentimentwhichwasreadytoboilovertowar.Asseeninthesigningof
theEntenteCordiale,atreatybetweenBritainandFrance,in1904and“TheInvasionof1910,”
abookbyWilliamLeQueuxaboutaGermaninvasionofEngland,publishedin1906.There
wasagreatamountofeffortthatwentintocreatingpositiveassociationswithwar.Whenwar
finallycametofruitionin1914therewasnosuchthingasagovernmentagencyfor
propaganda.Bythewar’sendtheBritishgovernmenthadcreatedtheMinistryofInformation.In
theyearsinbetweentherebeginningofthewarandtheformalizationoftheMinistryof
Information therewereseveralagencieswhichpromotedtheprowarline,By1915a
60
governmentapprovedanagencywhichhadopenedinWellingtonHouse,London,toimprove
therecruitmentratealongwiththewareffort.Inadditiontothegovernmentagenciesthat
existedbeforetheMinistryofInformationindividualwriterswrotewithaprowarstancesuchas
59
“OutoftheDark:PoetryoftheFirstWorldWar.”EditedbyDavidRoberts.
60
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/theartofwar/inf3.htm
41
earlySassoonpoems,JessiePopeandtheNationalServiceLeague,whichwasapressure
groupwhichlobbiedforconscriptionandmilitarytrainingofBritain’syouthsince1901 .
61
Sassoonisfranklyfrustratedwiththelanguageofeuphemismthatisusedinwartime
Britain.ThechurchwasakeyfocusforthefrustrationofSiegfriedSassoon.Hebelievedthat
thechurchinhibitedindividualsnotatthefrontfromunderstandingtherealitiesofmodern
warfare.InapamphletpublishedbytheNationalServiceLeagueCanonJ.HSkrineofMerton
College,Oxford,putsforwardawayofviewingtheupcomingwar.
“Warisnotmurder…warissacrifice.Thefightingandkillingarenotoftheessenceofit,butare
accidents,thoughtheinseparableaccidents;andeventhoseinthewidemodernfieldswherea
soldierrarelyinhisownsightshedsanybloodbuthisown,whereheliesonthebattlesward
nottoinflictdeathbuttoendureiteventhesearemainlypurgedofsavageryandtransfigured
intodevotion.Warisnotmurderbutsacrifice,whichisthesoulofChristianity
​
.”
62
Ultimatelythechurchcanonlyjustifythewarthroughthehigherpowerofgod.Akathesoulof
Christianity.Sassoonsumsuphisfeelingstowardsthechurchinthepoementitled“They.”In
thispoemSassoonisolatesthechurchinrespecttothesoldierswhoserved.Thisisdone
throughthemajorityofthepoembeingcomposedofquotation.Asiftherewasadialogue
occurringtowhichthenarratorisprivy.TheBishophasboththefirstandlastwordswhilstinthe
middlethereturningsoldiersconfesstotheBishopthewayinwhichtheywerechangedbythe
war.Inahumoroustwistwhilethesoldiersinjuriesarebeinglistedoneofthemcitessyphilitis.
61
ThePeaceSocietiesPamphletof1910concernedwith“AimsandStrategiesoftheNationalService
League.”CitestheNationalServiceLeaguehandbook“Thehandbookoftheleague,viz.,"TheBriton'sfirst
Duty,theCaseforConscription,"byitssecretary,Geo.F.Shee,M.A.,publishedin1901,declared(p.174),
uThreethingsarerequiredtoassurethesafetyoftheBritishEmpire.Theseare:(1)AstrongNavy,at
leastequalinstrengthtothecombinedforcesofanytwoPowers;(2)Ahighlytrained,longserviceArmyfor
garrisonand6police'dutiesinIndia,andelsewhere;and(3)AnimmenseReserveofmen—aPan
BritannicMilitia—consistingofallablebodiedwhitementhroughouttheEmpire."
​https://archive.org/stream/aimsstrategyofna00darb/aimsstrategyofna00darb_djvu.txt
62
“OutoftheDark:PoetryoftheFirstWorldWar.”EditedbyDavidRoberts.
42
Notawhollyhonorablediseasetobeafflictedinforafightforgood.Thedialoguebetweenthe
soldiersandtheBishopfurthermakesitobviousthatfightingagainsttheGermans,AntiChrist,
isnotnecessarilyajustcause;sincethechangesthesoldiersreceivedarenotreallya
reflectionofachangeforthebetter.TheBishopsimplyrepliesthat“ThewaysofGodare
strange!”suggestingsomeinternallogic,ofgod,whichisnotevencomprehendibleforhumans.
Whichnotonlyendorsesignoranceasthesoldierswhoarefightingforacausewhichcannot
beexplainedwithoutmetaphorbutdehumanizesthepeoplewhoaredyingwhichfliesinthe
faceofSassoon’spresentationofthe‘average’soldier’slifeandmisery.
They
“TheBishoptellsus:“Whentheboyscomeback
Theywillnotbethesame;forthey’llhavefought
Inajustcause:theyleadthelastattack
OnAntiChrist;theircomrades’bloodhasbought
Newrighttobreedanhonourablerace,
TheyhavechallengedDeathanddaredhimfacetoface.’
‘We’renoneofusthesame!’theboysreplied.
‘ForGeorgelostbothhislegs;andBill’sgoneblind;
PoorJim’sshotthroughthelungsandliketodie;
AndBert’sgonesyphilitic:you’llfind
Achapwho’sservedthathasn’tfoundsomechange.’
AndtheBishopsaid:‘ThewaysofGodarestrange!”
Sassoon,himself,isonlyoutragedattheGermansforoneeventandthatwasthedeath
ofhisunrequitedlove.ThatlovewasafriendofSassoon’sfromhisCambridgedays,anda
soldierinaneighbouringunit,nameDavidThomas.ThedeathofDavidThomas,in1916
​
,
63
plungedSiegfriedSassoonintoaperiodangstandrevenge.Sassoon’sdiaryreadsonApril1st
1916“IusedtosayIcouldn’tkillanyoneinthiswar;but,sincetheyshotTommy,Iwouldgladly
63
“ThePoetryofTheFirstWorldWar,”EditedbySantanuDasChapter5“SiegfriedSassoon”bySarah
Cole.
43
stickabayonetintoaGermanbydaylight
​
.”Thisgrieftakesholdinpoemssuchas“TheKiss.”
64
Wherethefirstpersonnarratorisdrenchedinevocativeimageryanddesirefordeath.“Sweet
Sister
​
,grantyoursoldierthis;thatingoodfuryhemayfeel/thebodywherehesetshishell/
65
Quailfromyourdownwarddartingkiss.”Fromthispointin1916Sassoonbeginstoquestionthe
war.SassoonthenbeginstovoicehisdislikefortheGeneralsandPriestsoftheBritisharmyin
hispoetry.Withhisletterof“WilfulDisobedience,”Sassoonsolidifieshispositiononthewar.
WithhisoppositiontoprolongingthewarmadecleartotheGovernment,Sassoonwasshipped
offtoCraiglockhartHospitaltobetreatedforShellShock.AtCraiglockhartSassoonwasgiven
achancetorefinehispoetry.Refinedinthepresenceoflikemindedpoetswhowouldcometo
shapetheBritishperspectiveoftehFirstWorldWar.
Sassoonisanenigmainrelationtothethesisofthispaper.Sassoondidenvisiona
greaterpurposeforhispoetryasseeninhisdesireforgloryandfocusoneuphemisms.This
purposeisrealizednottheuseofthefirstpersonsubjectivepronoun“I,”butinhisuseofthe
secondpersonpersonalpronoun,“you,”whichisdirectedatthereader.Throughengagingina
dialoguewiththereaderSassoonfirstdepictsthetrenchesthenouststheuseofeuphemisms
throughexplanation.Sassooncapturedthepublic'sattentionforthewayhefoughtinthefront,
soitmaynotbetoosurprisingthatSassontakesissuewithhowthewarwasbeingfought.
AlthoughSassoondoesengagethereaderinadialogueheusesthefirstpersonpronouna
whopping56%
​
ofthetime.ThereasonofthismaybederivedfromacommentSassoonmade
66
onhisownpoetry:“Ishouldsaythattheessentialquality(ofmypoems)isthatIhavebeentrue
towhatIexperienced.Allthebestonesaretrulyexperiencedandthereforeauthentic.in
expression .”
67
64
“​“OutofTheDark:PoetryoftheFirstWorldWar.”EditedbyDavidRoberts
65
AreferencetoearlierinthepoemwhereSassoon’sbayonetisanthropomorphisedto“SisterSteel.”
66
Appendix1
67
“OutintheDark:PoetryoftheFirstWorldWar.”EditedbyDavidRoberts.Page139.
44
Thisindividualthatemergesinblandcontrasttotheviolencearoundhimcreatesthe
figurethatwillgoontoprotestthewar.IntheinfamousletterthatSassoonsenttoparliamentin
protestsofthecontinuationofthewarheusesthefirstpersonpersonalpronoun(“I”).Yet,the
empathyanddepththatconjugatesitselfinthepoetrywhichutilizesthesecondpersonshowas
theuseof“I”isjustifiedbybeingsaid“Onbehalfofthosenowsuffering.”Thus,although
Sassoonisanexceptiontothetrendofusingthe3rdpersonpronoun,hepushesforawider
understandingofthosewhoareplacedinhisposition.Theabilitytoexpressnotonlyrageatthe
thosewhokillhisfriendsbutregretthelossofalifedeemedtheenemy;toconnectthehellish
circumstancesthathefoundhimselfincontrasttothewiderworldwaswhatdefinedSassoonas
apoet.Apoetwhofoughtthewar,protestedagainst,itandgavehisownpersonalexperience
inplaincolloquialverse
​
.ToquoteSassoon’sprodigyWilfredOwen“Shakespearereadsvapid
68
afterthese
​
.”
69
D4WIlfredOwen
~~~~~~~~~~~
Atthecloseof1919SiegfriedSassoonwasseenasthequintessentialwarpoetofthe
era.Hewasnotonlyawarherobutamanwhospokeforthetroopsatthefront.Sassoonwasa
decoratedofficer.Hewasactingagainstthecontinuationofslaughter,itislittlewonderwhy
Sassonwassowidelyreadandpublishedduringthewar.AfterthepublicationofSassoon’s“A
SoldiersProtest ”hewassenttoCraiglockharthospital.WhilereceivingtreatmentforShell
70
ShockSiegfriedSassoonbefriendedafellowinjuredofficer,WIlfredOwen.OwenandSassoon
connectedonseveralpoints.Owenwas,likeSassoon,apoet.Specificallyapoetwhoshared
aninterestinthefomentingGeorgianstyle.Owendrewhisconnectiontothisstylenotthrough
68
TocontrastanypoemofSassoon’sagainstoneofBrooke’sstanzasfrom1918willshowthelackluster
coldnessofdescriptionthatidentifiesSassoonasamodernistmorethanaGeorgian.
69
“OutintheDark:PoetryoftheFirstWorldWar.”EditedbyDavidRoberts.Page123
70
“TheCollectedPoemsofWIlfredOwen,”EditedbyC.DayLewis.
45
theworkoftheDymock,orGloucestershire,poetsbutthroughKeats
​
.BothOwenand
71
Sassoonwereinfuriatedwithhowthewarwasbeingfought.Bothcouldn’tescapethementality
ofthepublicwhichsupportedthewar,awarwhichthehomefrontknewlittleabout.Yetdespite
WilfredOwen’sprotesting,muchlikeSassoonhehadbeenawardedtheMIlitaryCrossfor
actionsandvalor
​
andalthoughhewasnotknownaswellknownasSassoonduringthewar
72
onlyfourofOwen’spoemswerepublishedduringhislifetime
​
Owen’sexperienceswould
73
becomeanalmostuniversaldescriptionofthelifeandtroublesofthemodernsoldier.
WilfredOwenwasbornonMarch18th1893ontheEnglishWelshborder.Meaningthat
OwengrewupintheverysamelandscapethattheGloucesterpoetswouldlaterveneratedin
theirpoetry.WilfredOwendidnotcomefromawealthyfamilybutawellreadone,withWilfred’s
fatherconstantlyreadingeverythingfromthebibletothenewspaper.WilfredOwen’smother
wasalsoapparentlygiftedwiththeartisticflarebeingnotedagoodtechnicalpainter .Owens
74
mother'sloveofartalmostcertainlytransportedintotheworkofherfavoriteson.Atraitwhich
couldexplainthebrushstrokedetailwithwhichOwendescribeshistimeinthetrenches.The
Owenswerereligious.ThereligiousaspectsofOwen’slifewouldcarrythroughouttohispoetry.
71
“TheCollectedPoemsofWIlfredOwen,”EditedbyC.DayLewis.Onpage21thereisananecdotetosend
homethethoughtofOwendrawingonolderEnglishpoetstoachievehismodernstyle.“OnJune4t,1916,
[Owen]wascommissionedintheManchesterRegiment.HisearlytrainingtookplaceinLondon,wherehe
visitedthe“PoetryBookshop”HaroldMonrowas“verystruck,”bysomesonnetsofOwen’s,and“toldme
whatwasfreshandclever,andwhatwassecondhandandbanal;andwhatKeatsianandwhat‘modern.”
Alsoonpage15C.DayLewisexaminestheearlyworkofOwentoprovethatthepoethasbeenobsessed
withKeats.
72
“2ndLt,WilfredEdwardSalterOwen,5thBn.Manch.R.,T.F.,attd.2ndBn.
ForconspicuousgallantryanddevotiontodutyintheattackontheFonsommeLineonOctober1st/2nd,
1918.Onthecompanycommanderbecomingacasualty,heassumedcommandandshowedfine
leadershipandresistedaheavycounterattack.Hepersonallymanipulatedacapturedenemymachinegun
fromanisolatedpositionandinflictedconsiderablelossesontheenemy.Throughouthebehavedmost
gallantly”
73
TheCollectedPoemsofWIlfredOwen,”EditedbyC.DayLewis.OwendiesNovember4thin1918.
74
“TheCollectedPoemsofWIlfredOwen,”EditedbyC.DayLewis.
46
ThethematicunderstandingofaGodwithagreatplanandpurposecanbeseendistortingthe
chaosofwar.
AlthoughOwenwasacceptedintotheUniversityofLondonhewasunabletoaffordthe
tuition.Thus,relyingonhisreligiousknowledge,OwenworkedforaVicarinReadingfrom1911
tillthesummerof1913inordertosaveforuniversity.Becomingfedupwiththeanticsofbeing
asmalltownVicarOwenleft.ThediariesofOwenfromhistimeinReadingdescribethe
conditionsoftheworkingclassfamiliesinhisvicarage.Thesedescriptionsholdthesame
emotivevigorOwenwouldlaterusetotalkaboutthemenunderhiscommandatthefront.
ThereisalinefromOwen’svicardayswhichiseerilysimilartoadescriptiontheafflictionofa
pulmonaryedemathatoccursin“DuceEtDecorumEst,”ofasoldiercaughtinagasattack.“A
gentlelittlegirloffive,fastsinkingunderConsumptioncontractedafterchickenpox.
​
”To
75
visuallylinkthefluidcausedbyasicknesswiththesuffocationcausedbygasshowsthedepth
ofempathythatOwenpossess.Owen’spoetryfocusesonthesufferingofthetroopswhichare
underOwen’scommanded,justlikehisdiariesfocusedonthepeopleinhisparish.Unableto
helpthepopulationofReadingOweneventuallygivesuphisfaith,writing“Ihavemurderedmy
falsecreed.Ifatrueoneexists,Ishallfindit.Ifnot,adieutothestillfalsecreedsthatholdthe
heartsofnearlyallmyfellowmen.”
76
TheempatheticsoulofOwenisoneoftheclearmarkersofhispoetry.Owenhimself,in
contrasttohistwofellowpoetsatCraiglockharthospital,preferstousethethirdperson
subjectivepronoun.36%ofOwen’sworkiswritteninthethirdperson.Thisisamarketable
increasefromSassoonwhowroteonly15%ofhispoemsinthethirdperson
​
.YetOwengot
77
outofhisrelationshipfromSassoon.Notrewrites,nortemplates,insteadOwengotinspiration
75
“TheCollectedPoemsofWIlfredOwen,”EditedbyC.DayLewis..Page16
76
“PoetryoftheFirstWorldWar,”EditedbyTimKendall[OxfordWorld’sClassics]Page16
77
SeeAppendix1
47
fromthemoreexperiencedpoetryofSassoon.WhilstatCraiglockharthospitalOwenhada
creativestreakbetweenAugust1917andDecember1917whichcontinuedpasthisrelease
datetillSeptember1918.Thiswasone,ifnottheonly,timeinOwen’slifewhenheworkedwith
poetswhowereskilledintechnicalability,writerswhocouldhelpcritichisworkandshapehis
image.WiththemajorityofOwen’spoemsbeingwrittenduringhistimeinCraiglockhartit
becomesapparentthatthehospitalservedasthecenterforoneofthemostinfluentialpoetic
circlesofthewar.
OneoftheresonantfeaturesoftheGeorgianstyleofpoetryistheomnipresenceof
nature,thatinsomeway,shape,orformallthingsareapartofnature.Thefocusonnature
drawsthereaderintothelandscape.Inateinsettingasceneistherealizationthatactionisnot
simplyoccurringinnaturebutismovingwithnature.IntheworkoftheGeorgianPoetstheideal
notionofnatureiswhenthelandscapeplaysakeyroleinthenarrative.Oneofthewaysthat
thispracticeoccursinthepoetryoftheGeorgiansistheuseofaneverpresentnarrator.For
exampleinEdwardThomas’spoem“​Astheteam’sheadbrass,”wherethepoemconcernsitself
withthedestructionoftheEnglishcountrysideasseenthroughstruggletomoveafallentree
becausetheyoungmenhaveleftthefarmtofightatthefront:
“‘InFrancetheykilledhim.ItwasbackinMarch,
Theverynightoftheblizzard,too.Nowif
Hehadstayedhereweshouldhavemovedthetree.’”
Owencapitalizesonthesamesentimentoftheyoungmenwhogoingofftowarin“Anthemfor
DoomedYouth.”Thepoemissetinthesecondpersonobjectivepronoun.InthepoemOwen
projectsthehallmarksofEnglishyouth:churchbells,choirs,pastorallands,girls,andflowers.Of
coursethebloomingyoutharealsoobjectifiedinthepoembytheuseof“them,”which
distancesthereaderfromtheindividualswhoarebeingdiscussed.Inmuchthesamewaythe
48
youtharebeingtransportedawayfromthefamiliarpublicschoolsettingofEnglandintoa
nightmarewar.Thebellsthatwouldsignifyclasstimeinpeacenowcometosymbolthedeath
ofsoldiers.ThechoirsthatwouldsingofEnglandasJerusalemnowturnto“theshrilldemented
choirsofwailingshells.”SurelytheseyoungsoldiersareremissoftheiridyllicyouthbutOwen
distortsthem.Makingitseemasifthisgenerationhasalreadybeensacrificedasmartyrs.“What
candlesmaybeheldtospeedthemall?Notinthehandsofboys,butintheireyes/Shallshine
theholyglimmersofgoodbyes
​
.”
78
OneoftheinescapableironiesofaGeorgianpoetwritingabouttheFirstWorldWaris
thehowtheuseofpersonifyingnaturebecomesanelementofhumanpainandsuffering.In
Owen’spoem“Exposure,”themostpoignantdangerthatthetroopsareexposedtoisnature.
Pointblankthepoemsays“Suddensuccessiveflightsofbulletsstreakthesilence.Lessdeadly
thantheairthatshuddersblackwithsnow
​
.”ThepoemplacesthereaderalongsideWilfred
79
Owenandhismensomewhereinatrenchonthewesternfrontduringadesperatelycolddayin
February1917.Thewinterof19161917wasthecoldestwinterinEuropesince1895
​
.Witha
80
meanof39degreesfahrenheitinFebruarythetroopsinFrancewereperpetuallylivingaround
freezingtemperatureswithnoshelter.Thetemperaturewassocoldthatthesoilfroze,leading
tostoriesaboutbulletsricochetedofftheground.Thismeantthatnofurthertrenches,bunkers,
ormodificationcouldbebuilt.ThewondrousspiritofnaturethatRupertBrookehadmanifested
inGeorgianpoetryissublimatedintothevillainofWilfredOwen’sworld.In“Exposure,”Owen
haspersonifiedNatureintoanincarnationofDeath.
“Paleflakeswithfingeringstealthcomefeelingforourfaces
Wecringeinholes,backonforgottendreams,andstare,
78
“AnthemforDoomedYouth,”“PoetryoftheFirstWorldWar,”EditedbyTimKendall[OxfordWorld’s
Classics].Page153
79
PoetryoftheFirstWorldWar,”EditedbyTimKendall[OxfordWorld’sClassics].Page165
80
​http://www.climateocean.com/book%202005/05_11Dateien/05_11.html​Anacademicessayonthe
impactofwarontheweather.
49
snowdazed,
Deepintograssierditches.Sowedrowse,sundozed,
Litteredwithblossomstricklingwheretheblackbirdfusses.
Isitthatwearedying?
​
”
81
InthesecondstanzaWilfredOwendirectlycontraststhefeaturesofnaturewiththatof
anenemy,notsoabstractorartisticasnaturerepresentingDeath.InsteadOwendepictsthe
dawnasaGermanattack.“Dawnmassingintheeasthermelancholyarmy/Attacksoncemore
inranksonshiveringranksofgrey,/Butnothinghappens.”Thisprojectionofthesunrisehas
comealongwayfromtheGeorgianPoetryofRupertBrooke.Insteadofaeuphoricexperience
WilfredOwenisfearingthearrivalofthesun,knowingthetrencheswhichheandhistroops
occupywillbeflooded.RememberingthatthemainopponenttothesurvivalofOwenstroopsis
thecold.ItseemsoddthatOwenshouldfearthewarmsunlightfloodinghistrenches.Inthefirst
stanzathereaderlearnsthatthetroopscansomewhatseethroughthenightduetotheuseof
flares.WhatOwenisafraidofisthathismenwillrelax,“[s]owedrowsesundozed.”Sodeepin
sleepthatOwenevenrhetoricallyasks“Isitthatwearedying?”Theconstantrepetitionofthe
thirdpersonsubjectivepronoun“we,”placesthereaderinthetrencheswithOwen.“We,are
invitedintothestruggleofstayingaliveduringanabdominalcold.Dealingwiththecoldisan
experiencewithwhichnearlyeveryhumanhasdealt.ThisuniversalprincipleishowOwen
seamlesslydrawsthereaderintothetrenches.
In“Exposure,”whatOwenandhismenareexperiencingisbeingremovedfromnature.
ThisisasentimentwhatmadeGeorgianpoetrysopopularwiththeurbanizedreadershipof
London.Whilethemeninthetrencharesleepingthesignsofspringarepresent“Litteredwith
blossomstricklingwheretheblackbirdfusses.”ForafanofYeats,andaboyoftheWelsh
countryside,foralmostanyonebutespeciallyforaGeorgianpoetitseemswrongtoequivocate
81
PoetryoftheFirstWorldWar,”EditedbyTimKendall[OxfordWorld’sClassics].Page165
50
springwithdeath.Yetthislanguageoftheseasonsrepresentingstagesoflifehavebeen
popularinEnglishliteraturesinceShakespeare(“Thewinterofourdiscontent ”).Sotheimage
82
thatOwenpresentsofhumansagainstthenatureredefinesthenarrativeofwar.Allowingthe
readertobeabletoempathizewiththemeninthetrenchesinanusagainstthembattle,noton
someabstractleveloffightingagainstGermansbutwithanexperientiallevel,againstnature,
withwhichmostpeoplecanconnect.
PartofthestrugglethatthetroopsinOwen’spoemexperienceisthattheyareoften
caughtbetweenadreamandreality.InthethefirststanzaOwenpresentsacontrastthat
strainsonabsurdity:
“Ourbrainsache,inthemercilessicedeastwindsthatknive
Us…
Weariedwekeepawakebecausethenightissilent…
Low,droopingflaresconfuseourmemoryofthesalient…
Worriedbythesilence,sentrieswhisper,curious,nervous,
Butnothinghappens
​
.”
83
Theimageofstayingawakebecausenothingishappeningbringswithitacertaininsanitythat
isperfectlyateaseinOwen’swork.AgainOwenfindsastrugglethatthereadermorethanlikely
hashandsonexperiencewith,stayingawake.Nestledintothepoemthroughthethirdperson
subjectivepronounthereaderisdroppedintoapresenttenseculture.Therearenoquestions,
thereissimplyfacts.Muchlikethesoldiersthereaderisneverinformedofthesituation.
Buildinguponthisthemeofdreamofreality.Makingthesilencewhichpervadesmuchmore
potent.As“droopingflaresconfuseourmemoryofthesalient.”Causinganinabilityto
distinguishonedayfromanotherwhichisechoedintherefrain“Butnothinghappens.”The
perpetualboredom,theexpectationofchange,issomethingwithwhichthereadercanalso
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“RichardtheThird,”Act1Scene1.http://www.enotes.com/shakespearequotes/nowwinterourdiscontent
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PoetryoftheFirstWorldWar,”EditedbyTimKendall[OxfordWorld’sClassics].Page165
51
engage.ShowingthatbeyondtheuseofthethirdpersonsubjectivepronounOwenfocuseson
creatingconnectionsbetweenthereaderandthecharacterswithwhichtheyempathize.
Theheightenedsenseofrealityin“Exposure,”causesthetensionstobeconstantly
high.Theflaresdistortthenight,thereisapervasivesilencewhichisbarelybrokenby
whispers,itiscold,itisneardawn,andthesetiredsoldiersseemtobehalfasleep.Owen
createsapiecethat,sinceitdealswithwar,causethereadertoexpectanattack.Owenstrings
thereaderalongsothatthey,likethesoldiers,willwatchandlistenfor‘themadgustsofwind
tuggingonthewire/liketwitchingagoniesofmenamongitsbrambles.”Asifeachsoundwill
signalanattack.Yet,thereisnoattack.Astheenemyin“Exposure,”isnottheGermansbutthe
elements.Afoewithwhicheachreaderwhohasexperiencethewinterortheraincan
comprehend.
WilfredOwen’sdepictionofanunseenenemyisechoedinhispoem“TheSentry.”This
poemtakesplaceintheepicenteroftrenchwarfare.ThelocationisadugoutheldbyWilfred
OwenandhisplatoonofManchesterRiflemen.AsperhisusualstyleWilfredOwenfirstuses
thethirdpersonsubjectivepronoun(“we”)toplacethereaderintothemidstoftheaction:
“We’dfoundanoldBoschedugout,andheknew,
Andgaveushell;shellforfranticshell
Litfullontop,butneverquiteburstthrough.
Rain,gutteringdowninwaterfallsofslime,
Keptslushwaisthighandrisinghourbyhour,
Andchokedthestepstoothickwithclaytoclimb.
Whatmirkofairremainedstankandsour
Withfumesofwhizzbangs,andthesmellofmen
Who’dlivedthereyears,andlefttheircurseintheden,
Ifnottheircorpses…
​
.”
84
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“PoetryoftheFirstWorldWar,”EditedbyTimKendall[OxfordWorld’sClassics]Page153,154
52
HereOwenthrowsthereaderwithanalmosttropicalillustrationofnature.Specifically,the
exoticwaterfallmadeoutofsomethingsoviscous,muddyslime.Thistoneplaysoffthe
seriousnessofthesituation.Asonewouldthinkthemaindangeroftheshellswouldpermeate
thescene.AdugoutiscommonelementintheGermantrenchline.Thedugoutwasnot
utilized,often,byBritishtroopsastheirsoldierswerefightinganoffensivewarandthusdidn’t
needtheextraprotectionofferedbyadugout.Thus,Owenandhismencapturingadugoutis
aprize.AdugoutprovidesmorethanadequateshelteragainsttheGermanshelling.Alsoa
dugoutisalien.ThisleadsOwentofeelmuchconcernedaboutthestrangenewproblemthe
rainthreateningtodrownhismeninaconcretebunker.
InthedugoutwhereOwen,hismen,andthereaderarehidingtheairtheybreatheis
filledwithforeignsmells:“withfumesofwhizzbangs
​
andthesmellofmen.”Theairoutsidethe
85
dugoutisalsoturnedintoanunnaturalchaos,withthedownpourofrainmixedwiththe
downpourofshells,itsoundsasifsometerribletropicalstormwasknockingonthedugout
ratherthanthesteadyrainoftheWesternFront.MakingpoignantlyclearthatOwenandhis
menarebeingshelteragainsttheforcesofnaturemorethantheshells.Thetroopsout“under
theshriekingair,”issymbolicofthetumultuousstateofnature.LaterinthepoemwhenOwen
dehumanizehistroopshedoesitusingtropicalimagery.Paintingthesewanderingtrooperslike
fishoutofwater“flound’ringabout.”TheonlytraditionallyEnglishmetaphorthatOwenusesisa
pun.Suggestingthatheandhismenhavebeen“herded,”intothedugoutbytheblasts.This
imageof“herded.”alongsidethethirdpersonobjectiveisstrikingsimilartothedescription
Owenusesin“AnthemforaDoomedYouth:”“Whatpassingbellsforthesewhodieasacattle.”
ThroughentanglingthereaderinthepoemasathirdpersonWilfredOwenpaintsthe
scenewiththereaderincludedasanobservertotheaction.Thisinclusiveviewisdisplaced
85
AwhizzbangisatermusedbyBritishtroopstorefertoasmallcaliberhighexplosiveshell.Oftenfired
from77mmGermanFieldArtillery.​http://www.firstworldwar.com/atoz/whizzbang.htm
53
whenOwenchangeshishisobjectdescriptionofagrouptohisownpersonalperspective
reflectedinfirstpersonsubjectivepronoun.Inthischangeofpronounsthereisalsoachangein
tense.Owendrawsthesceneinthepresenttenseandthenwithdrawstoapersonalreflection.
Thesecondstanzaof“TheSentry,”isconcernedwiththeswitchbetweenthefirstandthird
person.InthisstanzatherealismwhichisoftenattributedwithWilfredOwencanbeseen:
“Thereweherdedfromtheblast
Ofwhizzbangs;butonefoundourdooratatlast,
Buffetingeyesandbreath,snuffingthecandles,
Andthud!fump!thud!downthestepscamethumping
Andsploshingintheflood,delugingthemuck,
Thesentry’sbody,thenhisrifle,handles
OfoldBochebombs,andmudinruckonruck.
Wedredgeditupfordeaduntilhewhined,
‘Osirmyeyes,I’mblindI’mblind,I’mblind.’
Coaxing,Iheldaflameagainsthislids
Andsaidifhecouldseetheleastblurredlight
Hewasnotblind;intimethey’dgetallright.
‘Ican’t,’hesobbed.Eyeballs,hugebulgedlikesquids’.
Watchmydreamsstill,yetIforgothimthere
InpostingNextforduty,andsendingascout
Tobegastretchersomewhere,andflound’ringabout
Tootherpostsundertheshriekingair
​
.”
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IndealingwiththeinjuredsoldierOwendirectlydehumanizeshim.Firstlistingthe
sentry’sbodyamongsttheitemswhichfelldownthestaircase.Asifthesoldierwasnothing
morethananotherpieceofequipmentdevoidofasoul.Owenthenpatronizesthesoldierby
describinghisattemptstocalmdownthesentry’sreactiontopossiblybeingblindedascoaxing.
Anactionwouldwouldtakeincalmingastartledhorseorcow.Theuseofhyperboleiskeyin
thecreationoftherealisminwhichWilfredOwen’spoemslive.WhenOwenusesthethird
86
“PoetryoftheFirstWorldWar,”EditedbyTimKendall[OxfordWorld’sClassics]Page153,154
54
personneutralpronoun(“it”)todescribethesoldier’s,assumed,deadbodyOwendehumanizes
thesoldierfurtherbyhisdescriptionofdredgingupthebody.Certainlytherewasalotofmud
andwaterinthetrenchbuttousedredgeOwenbreaksthewarbasedlanguagesandcreates
anabsurdscene.Asifthesesoldierstookoutshovelsandpickstodigupthemudaroundthis
soldiersothattheycouldpickhimoutofthemuck.Thisuseofhyperbolenotonlyactsasform
ofimagerybutsubvertstheneedtorealism.WhenOwensaysthattheyeyesofthisblind
soldier“Watchmydreamsstill,yetIforgothimthere.”WhatOwenisreallysayingisthatthe
soldierdiedthere
​
.DuetotheblindedsentrybeingpresentinhisdreamsOwenliterallydidn’t
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forgethim.
Theentirepoemuntilthe10thlineofthesecondstanzaiswritteninthethirdperson.
Theshifttothefirstpersonisrapid,takingplaceintheactivetense:“Coaxing,Iheldaflame
againsthislids.”Inalreadybeingpresentinthedugoutthereaderhasbeenwatchingallofthis
chaosunfold.Yet,itisnotuntilthispointwherethereaderismetwithadirectperspective.Sure
the“snuffingcandles,”and“waterfallsofslime,”areevocativeimagerybutsuddenlythereader
isholdingaflickeringlightuptothefaceofablindman,witheyesbulgedlikethoseofasquid.
Nowarning,noallusion,simplyahauntingimage.ThenthenextthreetimesOwenusesthefirst
personpronounitistorefertohisdesiretoforget.Certainlythisplacestheuseoffirstpersonin
Owenasareflectionontheactionsthathewishestoforget.Whereasthethirdpersonpronoun
isusedtosetthesceneandcharacterizetheexperienceofwar.Thisdichotomyinapproaching
theuseofpronounsisquitecommoninpeoplewhohavesurvivedtraumaticincidents.Often
therewillbenostalgiaandrespectforpeoplewhotheindividualhasbondedwithcreatingan
inclusiveexperience,expressedinthethirdpersonpronoun.Whenitcomestoincidentswhich
causedepressiontheaffectedindividualwilloftenrefertotheincidenttofirstperson,religating
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InalettertohisMotherOwensaysthatdespitetheconditonsheonlyhadonecasulty:
http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/ww1lit/collections/document/5233/4731
55
theiremotionandexperiencetotheirowncapacity
​
.Thisformatcanbeseenexplicitlyinthe
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lasttwolinesof“TheSentry.”
“Throughthedensedim,Isay,weheardhimshout
‘Iseeyourlight!’butourshadlonggoneout.”
WilfredOwenwaskilledinactiononNovember4th1918,leadinghistroopsacrossa
river
​
.ThemonthbeforeinOctoberhewasawardedamilitarycrossforvalorinactionbutnot
89
gazetteduntil1919
​
.ThevoiceofOwenisoftenthemostclearnarratorwhentalkingaboutthe
90
FirstWorldWar.AlthoughSiegfriedSassoonmayhavecometoembodythepoetsoldierduring
thewarandinitsimmediatewake.ThereissomethingresonateaboutthepoetryofWilfred
Owen.IndeedtodayOwenisthesecondmoststudiedpoetinEnglishschoolsafter
Shakespeare
​
.YetindyingbeforethewarcametoacloseOwenwasneverabletoseehis
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dreamsofpeacefulfilled.
InfactWilfredOwenevenwroteapoemcalled“TheNextWar,”whenin1914H.GWells
hadbilletedtheFirstWorldWartobe“thewartoendallwar
​
.”Quotinghisdearfriendand
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mentorSiegfriedSassoontostartOwensays“Welaughed,knowingthatbettermenwould
come,andgreaterwars;wheneachproudfighterbragshewarsonDeathforlives;notmen
forflags
​
.”Criticingwhatwould,andalreadywas,acceptedasthecauseoftheGreatWar:
93
GermanMilitaristicNationalism.Owenwouldholdthesameskepticalthoughtsabouthisown
nationalidealsashewouldforhisChristianfaith,boilingdownnationalprestigeandpridetobe
assymbolicasflags.Sincehediedin1918Sassoon,Mostofhispoemswerepublished
posthumouslybyEdmundBlunden,andOwen’sparents.
88
“TheSecretLifeofPronouns,”byJamesW.Pennebacker.
89
“TheCollectedPoemsofWIlfredOwen,”EditedbyC.DayLewis.
90
“TheCollectedPoemsofWIlfredOwen,”EditedbyC.DayLewis..
91
“WilfredOwen:ARemembranceTale(BBCDocumentary.”PresentedbyJeremyPaxman2007
92
https://books.google.com/books?id=h9vF8W1dW48C&pg=PA10#v=onepage&q&f=false
93
“TheCollectedPoemsofWIlfredOwen,”EditedbyC.DayLewis.Page86
56
ThemagnusopusofWilfredOwen’sworkisundoubtedlythepoem“DulceEtDecorum
Est.”ThetitleofwhichisalinetakenfromaRomanpoetnamedHoracethepoemislargely
aboutthebenefitsandprideofwarbuthisspecificlinetranslatesto“itissweetandfitting.”
Owen’spoemwaswritteninAugust1917atCraiglockharthospitalinScotland.Thispoem
generatesoneofthemoresuccinctpaintingsofcombatinWorldWarOne.
Mostnotablyinthepoemthereisnomentionofanenemy.ThefirsthallmarkofGreat
Warpoetryisseenintheuseofartillery,morespecificallyindiscriminateartilleryfire.Thelackof
apresentenemysuggeststhattragedycouldbethesubjectofafriendlyfireincident.Wilfred
Owenonlyusestwolinestodescribethesourceofthegasas“deaftoeventhehootsoffire,
outstrippedFiveNinesthatdroppedbehind.”FiveNinereferstoacaliberofGermanartillery
whichwasusedinWorldWarOne.Thesegunswere,by1917,inprettybadcondition.
Germanybeenunderablockadesince1914leavingfewresourcesavailableforwarproduction.
EvenWilfredOwenisawareoftheconditionoftheGermangunsgoasfartocallthem
outstripped,thatriflingoftheartilleryhadbeenwornawaysobadlythatthegunbecame
inaccurate.InErichRemarque’sbook“AllQuietontheWesternFront,”aGermanaccountof
WorldWarOne,theprotagonistdescribestheshapeofGermanartilleryby1917:
“Wearenowinlowspirits.Afterwehavebeeninthedugoutstwohoursourownshells
begintofallinthetrench.Thisisthethirdtimeinfourweeks.Ifitweresimplyamistakeinaim
noonewouldsayanything,butthetruthisthatthebarrelsarewornout.Theshotsareoftenso
uncertainthattheylandwithinourownlines.Tonighttwoofourmenwerewoundedbythem
​
.”
94
ThetroopsthatOwenfocuseshisnarrativearoundare,bythedescriptiongiven,ontheir
waybackfromthefrontlines.“Tillonthehauntingflaresweturnedourbacksandtowardsour
distantrestbegantotrudge.”Thesetroopsareontheirwaytothereservelinesortogoon
leave.Yettheshellslandonthetroopswhiletheyaremarchingonopenground,sofarfromthe
94
“AllQuietontheWesternFront,”byErichMariaRemarqueChapter6page48.
57
trenchlinesinfactthatwagonscantraversetheground.Suggestingthatthiswasarougeshell,
notaimedattheretiringtroops.Thisiswhythetroopsweresurprisedbythearreanceofgas:
“anecstasyoffumbling.”Further,noshellsactuallyfallonOwen’sposition.Thewindmayhave
simplyblownthegastoOwen’sposition.Thereisafundamentalvaporofinformationonthe
story’santagonist,thegas.ThisanonymityofanenemyisafundamentalfocusofWilfred
Owen’swriting,likenatureinthe“Exposure,”thegasbuildstheusandthemmentality.
Thetitleofthepoem,andtheassociationsthatthepoemcarriessetthereadertohave
certainexpectationsabouttheactiontocome.ThisiswhyWilfredOwenusesjuxtaposition,
contrastingtheliteralrealitywithhyperbole,tosendhometheconditionwhichthetroopsfaced.
Theacumentosaythatthesesoldiers“”limpedon,”breaksthroughthelanguageofmetaphorto
displayarealismexpressingthetruecharacterofthetroopers.Thatwithbloodblisters,and
trenchfoot,thesetroopsenduredbyliterallylimpingastheywalked.Bypushingthereaderto
envisioningthesetroopsinsomeprettycrappyconditionsthereaderbeginstopityothetroops
beforeanyactionhasoccurred.Makingitseemasiftheoddswereagainstthesetroopsbut
Owendoesn’texpressthisimageobjectively.Heusesthethirdpersonsubjectivepronoun“Till
onthehauntingflaresweturnedourbacks.”Drawingthereaderinstantlyintothesceneplacing
thefateofthereaderinsyncwiththeBritishtroops.
Thedepictionofthegasattackhasinitthedramaanddepthofaplaycondensedinto
sixlines.Inthisshortsnippetofachlorinegasattackthereaderisdroppedintotheaction.
“Gas!Gas!Quick,boys!anecstasyoffumbling,
Fittingtheclumsyhelmetsjustintime;
Butsomeonestillwasyellingoutandstumbling,
Andflound’ringlikeamaninfireorlime…
Dim,throughthemistypanesandthickgreenlight,
Asunderaseaofgreen,Isawhimdrowning.”
58
Oneofthemostapparentpiecesofthepoemisthatnooneisquotedassaying“Gas!Gas!”
Theselines,therefore,musteitherbetheinternalmonologueusedbyOwenorareflectionfrom
lateron;madeclearbytheuseofpasttenseinthelastlineofthepoem,“Isawhimdrowning.”
Thetransitiontothefirstpersonpronounsuggeststhatthisentireparagraphisareflectionof
theevent.ThispoemwaswrittenfarfromthefrontinCraiglockharthospitalwhereWilfredOwen
waseditingthehospitalmagazine,the“Hydra.”Sofarremovedfromtheexperiencesofcombat
itiscertainlyuseful,andclimatictoenterthenarrator'sinternalmonologueaboutthegas.A
techniquemoreoftenutilizedbySassoonorGraves.
Theentirethirdstanzatakesplacethememoriesofthenarrator.Morethanareflection
ontheeventsthatoccurredthisstanzapushesthelinkbetweenrememberingandobsessing.
Againthereisaplaybetweentherealityanddreamspace,specificallymentionwhenthe
narratorstates“Inallmydreams.”Yet,certainly,thereissometruthtothewriterbeinghaunted
bythisvividmemoryofdeath.Rememberingthatthispoemisanoutcomeofthetreatment
OwenreceivedatCraiglockhartunderDr.Brockwhofavoured"theoccupationcure"
encouragingOwentopursuehispoetry.Showingthatthismemorywasreplyingthroughthe
narrator'shead.Inthefourthstanzathenarratorproposesahypothetical“Ifinsomesmothering
dreamsyoutoocouldpacebehindthewagonthatweflunghimin.”Almostaskingthereaderto
empathizewiththestrugglesofthenarrator,asifOwenfindssolaceinexpressingtheimage
whichhauntshim.
In“DulceetDecorumEst,”Owenusesthesametechniqueoflayeringpersonal
pronouns,fromthethirdtofirstperson,ashedidin“TheSentry.”Thefirststanzaofthepoem
usesthethirdpersonsubjectivepronoun“we,”andbytheendofthepoemOwenisusingtothe
59
firstpersonsubjectivepronountodirectlyaddresstheaudience .Thistransitioninpronouns
95
notonlycreatesatransitioninperspectivebutencapsulatesthestyletowhichWilfredOwen
hasbeenbuilding.Justaswiththebulgingsquidlikeeyesoftheblindedsentrythereaderis
forcedtoseethevividimageswhicharehardtoforget.Itisthispicturesquerealismwhichwill
cometoberememberedasakeycomponentofFirstWorldWarliterature.
Thefirststanza,ashasbeenpreviouslydiscussed,beginsinthethirdpersonsubjective
whichinvitesthereaderintothepoem’ssetting.Thesecondstanzatakesplaceinthepast
progressivetensemakingtheaccountseemtohaveasenseofimmediacyandintimacy
althoughittakesplaceinthepast .TheplaybetweendreamandrealityisrealizedinWilfred
96
Owenwhenusingthistense.Asitpresentsfirsthandeventsastheyoccur,inreflection.“Dim
throughthemistypanesandthickgreenlight/Asunderagreensea,Isawhimdrowning.”This
useofthefirstpersonsubjectivepronoun,alongwiththementionofseeingthroughthemisty
panesofthegasmask,makesthisaneyewitnessaccount.Yetthistangiblerealismiscurtailed
bythepremisethatOwenstatesinthethirdstanza,thatthispoemtakesplace“Inallmy
dreams,beforemyhelplesssight,Heplungesatme,guttering,choking,drowning.”Owen
choosestomakeclearthatthisimageisadream.
Boththenarratorandreadersharethisvaporousexperienceofbeingahelpless
bystander.WhichiswhyinthefinalstanzaWilfredOwenmakessuretoaddressthereader
usingthesecondpersonsubjectivepronoun“Ifyou,”Creatingadialoguewiththereaderin
whichheasksthemtohaveadreamaboutagasattack:“Ifinsomesmotheringdreamsyoutoo
couldwalkbehindthewagonthatweflunghimin.”Asifpleadingwiththereadertoshareinthis
95
InProfessorPennebaker’sbook“TheSecretLifeofPronouns,”hesuggestthattheuseoffirstpersonin
traumavictimsshowsprogressalongwitharealizationofevents:
http://www.yalescientific.org/2012/03/thesecretlifeofpronouns/
96
Thechangebeingssignifiedbytheellipsisinthefourthlineofthefirstparagraph.
60
experience.ForWilfredOwendidhavedreamsofthisattackwhileatCraiglockhart
​
anditis
97
becauseofthesedreamsofagasattackthatWilfredOwennolongerbelievedintheoldlie,that
itisfittingandsweettodieforone'scountry.
TheprimaryreasonwhyWilfredOwenusesthesecondpersonpronouninthispoem
canbelinkedbacktotheuseof“Myfriend,”inlinenineofthefourthstanza.InitiallyWilfred
OwenhadaddressedthispoemtoJessiePope.BoththeBritishMuseumandHaroldOwen
(WilfredOwen’sbrother)haveoriginalversionsofthispoemwherethetitleanddedicatedare
addressed“ToJessiePopeect,”and“ToacertainPoetess
​
.”JessiePopewasawriter
98
contemporaryduringthewar.Shewaswritingbeforethewarhavingherversesfirstpublished
in1907.JessiePopeisnotapartoftheGeorgianSchoolofPoetry.PosthumouslyJessiePope
ismostfamousforwritingstirringlypatrioticverseswhichwerealmostaimedatboosting
recruitment.Suchdiddiesinclude“Who’sforthegame?”
“Who’sforthegame,thebiggestthat’splayed,
Theredclashinggameofafight?
Who’llgripandtacklethejobunafraid?
Andwhothinkshe’drathersittight?
​
”
99
Thesepropagandapoemsdidn’tholdmuchweightwiththelikeofWilfredOwenin1917.
Callingabattlea“redclashinggame,”notonlyisaterribleeuphemismbutshowsabasiclack
ofunderstandingabouthowtrenchwarfareisfought.InalloftheGeorgianwarpoetsveryfew
paintthebattlefieldasred,literallyormetaphorically .Mostoftendrabcolorssuchasblack,
100
grey,khaki,mudbrown,orchlorinegreenareusedtodescribethescene.JessiePopeexhibits
thekindofknowledgeaboutwaronewouldgainfromnewspapersandmaps.Tothepoetson
97
AccordingtoletterstohisMumthegasattackoccurredaroundJanuary121917
http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/ww1lit/collections/document/5234/4733
98
“TheCollectedWorksofWilfredOwen,”EditedbyC.DayLewis.Page55,56.
99
http://www.poemhunter.com/jessiepope/biography/
100
LaurenceBinyonandhispoppiesbeinganotableexception.
61
thefrontJessiePopedoesn’treallyknowwhatsheistalkingabout,andyetthefinallineofher
poemmocksanybodywhodon’tjumpattheopportunitytofightatthefront.
AgaininthethirdlinePope’spoemshereferstowarlikeasport,rugbymostlikely,to
“gripandtacklethejobunafraid.”Thisformofpropagandawhichmakeswaraliketosportsis
notunheardof,manyoftheearlyrecruitmentposterswereaimedatsportsclubs .Here
101
thoughPopeispresentingafallacyaboutwarthatbuildsupontheignoranceorfantasythat
allowsthewartocontinue.Presentingthewaronthewesternfrontasjustagame.Itistothis
kindofrhetoricthatWilfredOwenintentstoaddressbytheuseofthesecondpersonpronoun:
“you.”SpecificallyifJessiePope,andthosewhopromoteignorance,couldwalkbehindthe
wagonthattheydumpedthedeadsoldierinandwatchhiseyeswritheinhisheadandhearthe
frothcorrupthislungs:
“Myfriend,youwouldnottellwithsuchhighzest,
tochildrenardentforsomedesperateglory,
theoldlie:DulceEtDecorumEst
ProPatriaMori
​
.”
102
Although,intheend,WilfredOwenchosetoremovehisdedicationofthepoemtoJessie
Popebecausethereweremanypoetsatthetimewritingsuchrecruitmentversers,suchas
SydneyOswaldandHaroldJarvis .ThusOwen’spoemaddressesanyonewhowouldtell
103
“childrenardentforsomedesperateglorytheoldlie.”Basicallythispoemisapushbackto
increasinglyabsurdtechniquesofpropagandaaimedatgettingtroopstothefront.
WilfredOwenveryrarelyaddressesthereaderdirectly.Owenusesthesecondperson
pronountheleastofanyofthepersonalpronounoption.Sassoonusesthesecondperson
101
SeeAppendix2​http://www.firstworldwar.com/posters/uk.htm​,
https://www.pinterest.com/jewels48162/wwlbritishrecruitmentposters/​,
http://stantrybulski.com/2014/07/fieldhonourgretbritainjojnsfight/
102
“PoetryoftheFirstWorldWar,”EditedbyTimKendall[OxfordWorld’sClassics].Page154155
103
https://modernism.research.yale.edu/wiki/index.php/Dulce_et_Decorum_est
62
pronounthemuchmorethanOwen,whichmatcheswithhisoftencombativetone,tryingtorid
thereaderofmisconceptionsthroughdirectdialogue.MeanwhileOwenismuchmore
empatheticwhendealingwithhisreadership.Thiscanbeseeninhisinclusivetonecreatedby
usingthethirdpersonsubjectivepronounwhennarrating.MathematicalOwenonlyusingthe
secondpersonpersonalpronounin13ofhis44availablepoems.ShowingthatOwenvery
rarelysinglesoutthereaderasanindividual,asdifferenttothegroup,throughhispoems.
AcommontoolutilizedbyOwenistolayertheuseofpersonalpronounsinorderto
createacomplexenvironmentforthereadertoengagein,ratherthancreateadialogue.First
Owenwillsetthesceneinthethirdperson,makingthereaderanactiveobserver.Then,Owen
willswitchtothefirstpersoninordertogivethereaderdirectaccesstoamemoryorimage
whichhasembeddeditselfinhispsyche.Apositiveofthisinclusivetoneisthatitallowsthe
readertoacclimatizetothestrangesettingbeforefacingalienexperiences.In“DulceEt
DecorumEst,”WilfredOweninsteaddecidestouseanewtechniqueinthethirdstanza.Here
Owennotonlyusesthesecondpersonpersonalpronounbuthedirectlygivesthereadera
hypothetical.
PerhapsthisistheeffectofworkingsoclosewithRobertGravesandSiegfriedSassoon
atCraiglockharthospital.AsbothGravesandSassoonusethesecondpersontoagreater
degreeintheirpoetry.Gravesusingthepronoun47%ofthetimeandSassoonassecond,
usingthepronoun37%ofthetime
​
.
104
ItisthuslittlewonderinsuchableakpoemwithbutonecasualtythatWilfredOwen
decidestoengageinthepsyche.WithanallinclusivenarrationOwenretellsthestoryasit
happenedinthethirdperson“we,”Thegoalofthepoemiseducatethosewhoenergizethe
publictocontinuefightingaswarpropagandists,suchasJessiePope.Thisdesiretoeducate,
104
SeeAppendix1
63
tocontradicttheoldlie,isthebeautyofOwen.ThepoetryofWilfredOwenisnotascynicalas
hishopitalmateSiegfriedSassoonnorasdistantasRobertGraves.Theinclusivetoneand
empathyofWilfredOwenservetodrawthefightingofthewartoanindividualhuman
perspective.Askingwhatthepublictothinkabouttheindividualswhofight.Thisiswhat
resonatesandallowsWilfredOwentostillbeoneofthemoststudiedpoetsinEngland.
D5RobertGraves
~~~~~~~~~~~
ThereisanunderlyingironythatrestswiththedescriptionofRobertGravesasa“Later
WarPoet.”Mostfamousforhispostwarmemoirs“GoodbyetoAllThat(1929),”RobertGraves
constantlypushedawayfromhiswarpoetry,evengoingasfarastosuppressitspublication
anddrasticallyalterhiswritingstyletofocusonproseandonthemanysubjectswhichdidn’t
sharemuchrelationwiththefirstworldwar,includingarguablyhismostfamousbook“I,
Claudius.”RunningthroughoutthepoetryofGravesisastringofthestaplethemesandimages
whichcametodefineGeorgianpoetry.Itiswithinthis,Georgian,styleofpoetrywhichwonders
withnatureandtheminimizationoftheactionsofmanwhereGraves’poetryresonatesbeyond
hiscareerasawarpoet.RegardlessofthedistancethatGraveshimselfcreatedRobertGrave’s
isindeedatruepoetofthefirstworldwar.
AvolunteerstraightoutofhighschoolGraves’joinedthearmyin1914.Hewasn’ta
notedpoetuntil1917yetinthattimeGraveshadforgedanenduringfriendshipwithprobably
themostfamouscontemporaryWarPoetSiegfriedSassoon.BothSassoonandGravesfought
64
asofficersintheWelshFusiliersduringthebloodybattlesFestubert,MametzWood,Fricourt,
andArras.Surprisinglyneitheronedied,althoughGraveswasoncewoundedsobadlyinthe
fightingthathereporteddeadintheTimes.TheinjuriesRobertGravessustainedmadesurehe
wouldneverfightagain.GravesspenttherestofthewarinCraiglockharthospitalwherehe
attemptedtorecover
​
.
105
WhilerecoveringfromhisinjuriesRobertGravesbecomeamemberofwhatbecame
arguablytheimportantWarPoetcommune.Craiglockharthospitalwastransformedfroma
placeofrecoverytoaplaceofcreation.ThetrioofGraves,Sassoon,andOwenbecamethe
metaphoricalheartofpoetryfortheFirstWorldWar.Sassoonwasacknowledgedasthe
defactopoetlaureateforthewarduringhislifetime,Owenhasbecometheposthumousvoice
ofthesoldierpoet,andGravesinhisautobiography“GoodbyetoAllThat,”gaveaniconicprose
depictionoftheexperiencesoftheFirstWorldWar .Theconnectionbetweenthesepoets
106
resonatedineachotherwork.
Thesepoetscertainlyinfluencedeachother’spoemsinboththewritingandediting
changes .Allthreepoets,mostlikelythroughthelegacyofGeorgianpoetscarriedmost
107
stronglybySassoonandOwens,chosetoincorporatethelandscapeasapivotalpartinthe
imaginingofthefirstworldwar.Thedifferenceinthesepoets’stylescanbeseenotinwhatthey
areconveyingbuthowthesepoetsconveytheirexperience.WhereOwenpreferedtheusethird
personpronoun,andSassoonthefirst,RobertGraveschosetorelatehiswarexperienceinthe
secondpersonpersonalpronoun:“him,his,you.”Thishasadramaticeffectonhowthepoetry
105
“PoetryoftheFirstWorldWar.”EditedbyTimKendall[OxfordWorld’sClassics]Page191,192
106
Forexamplelifeinthetrenches:“​“Cuinchybredrats.Theycameupfromthecanal,fedon
theplentifulcorpses,andmultipliedexceedingly.WhileIstayedherewiththeWelsh,anew
officerjoinedthecompany...Whenheturnedinthatnight,heheardascuffling,shonehistorch
onthebed,andfoundtworatsonhisblankettusslingforthepossessionofaseveredhand.”
“GoodbyetoAllthat.”
107
“PoetryoftheFirstWOrldWar.”EditedbyTimKendall.Page85.
65
interactswiththereader.WhereasSassoonpaintshisbleakexperienceinprose,orOwenpulls
youintothescene,Gravescarriesaconversationaltone.
In“It’saQueerTime,”RobertGravesdirectshisexperienceatthereaderusingthe
secondpersonpersonalpronoun:“you.”ThismakesitseemasifGravesischattingabouthis
warexperiencelikeastorywhichevenhimselfbareslittleinterestin:
“Onemomentyou’llbecrouchingatyourgun
Traversing,mowingheapsdownhalfinfun:
Thenext,youchokeandclutchyourrightbreast
Notimetothink
​
.”
108
Theotherwisevividexperienceofstavingoffwavesofsoldierschargingacrossashell
shockedlandscapebecomes,ironically,adetachedretelling.Thethoughtofbeingshotthrough
theheartisdismissedasusual.Thereisnodescriptionsofdyingmeninsteadin“It’saQueer
Time,”Gravesdescribessixinstancesofthemomentsthatbuilduptoadeathinthetrenches.
Yetnowhereinthepoemdoesadescriptionofdeathorthetragedyofwarfactorin;beforethe
lastbreathoflifeisexhaledthenarratorchangedthescene.Suddenlyyou,thereader,are
transportedfromadugoutduringashellingtoseeingyourlongdeadfriendwalkingtowards
you.WhatGravesisdoingisdismissingthemechanicsofwar,heisnotsointerestedinthe
minisculedetails,thespecsofblood,thedetailswhichdefinetherealismofwar.InsteadGraves
isfocusingonhowanindividualthinks.Onceyougetshotthereis“notimetothink…yet[you]
feelnopain...thewholescenefadesaway.”
IntransferringtheimagesandexperiencesoftrenchwarfarewhichGravesnodoubtedly
sawahundredtimesoverintopoetrythereisareductioninempathy.RobertGravesisasking
thereadertoimaginetheunimaginable.Hencewhythewritingissoconversational,thedrama
ofthepoetryisinscene,notinthestyle.Inempathizingwiththecharacterdescribed,you,the
108
“PoetryoftheFirstWorldWar,”EditedbyTimKendall[OxfordWorld’sClassics]Page192
66
readerisbeingaskedtosheddisbeliefatthehorrorsofwarandacceptitasarealityandthe
realityofthelifeofasoldierinWorldWarOneisthatitisriddledwithdeath.Thusthese
grotesquelyviciousimagesofachargingarmy,oratabarrageofexplosiveshellschurningup
theground,ortherattleofmachinegunfirebecomeeveryday.RobertGravesisnottryingto
drawthereaderintotherealityofasoldierbydescribingtheirsurroundings,heistalkingtothe
readerasiftheyhavealreadybecomeaccustomedtothedramaofwar.Anunempathetic
unwaveringinspectionoftherealtragedy,theacceptanceofslaughter.
InhispublishedworksthereisonlyonepoeminwhichGravesdealswiththebodiesof
deadcombatants.In“ADeadBosch ,”thereisareflectiononthegrittydepictionofwarwhich
109
weseeparticularlyinSassoon’s“NightAttack .”Letthesepoemsactasacontrolforthe
110
perspectiveofwar.Both“ADeadBosch,”and“NightAttack,”dealwiththesameassaulton
MametzWood,wherebothGravesandSassoonfaught .Graves,inhispoem,onlygivestwo
111
stanzastodescribethissingulardeadbody,againthisistheonlycorpsewhichGravesdirectly
paintsasdead.SassoonincontrastdevotessevenstanzastothedeadatMametzWoodwhere
hetellsofthestench,thesoundsofthewounded,thesightofpilesofBritishandGermandead
beforefocusingonthebodyofasingledeadGerman.Thesetwopoetsarecompilingthesame
experience,infactpossiblytheexactsamebody,intopoetry.Thereislittletonodifferencein
thesubjectmatterinwhichthesepoetsaredealing.Thedifferencebetweenthem,theriftin
theirstyles,comesinhowtheychoosetoretellthisscene.
Sassoontellsofthedecentfaceddeadbosche,thengoesontoimaginethelastfew
hoursofthedeadsoldierslifeinthesecondperson:“Hestaredintothegloom,arocketcurved,/
109
PublishedinRobertGraves“Fairies,andFusiliers”anthologyof1918.
110
AlthoughunpublishedduringhislifetimeSassoonwrotethispoemsometimeduringJuly1916“Poetryof
theFirstWorldWar.”EditedbyTimKendall.Page252,citing“TheWarPoems,”byRupertHartDavis
(1983).
111
DifferentPlatoonbutsameCompanyandRegiment“TheWelshFusiliers.”
67
Andriflesrattledangrilyontheleft
​
.”ThenarratorfamesthisimaginingofthedeadGerman’s
112
lifewithinthepoemasbeinganextensionoftheantagonistsfirstpersonexperience:“Ifound
himthereinthatgreymorningwhentheplacewasheld.”Althoughthereislevelofinspirational
empathyandwonderingatthesightofthisdeadGerman.ThewayinwhichSassoonframes
thestoryinthesecondpersondoesfirmlysquarethedifferencebetweentheEnglishand
Germancombatantsasthereaderisaskedtobecomeenglish“I”andimagineaGerman
experience“him”.Thenarratorneverengagesthereaderinwhatthisbosche,thisenemyofthe
state,wouldorevencouldthinkofordreamofbeforehedies.Insteadthenarratortakesit
uponhimselftoconcludethatthelifeofthissoldierwouldn’tbetoodifferentfromthelifelivedby
hiscountrymen:“Nodoubtheloathedthewarandlongedforpeace,/Andcursedoursouls
becausewe’dkilledhisfriends.”NoneofthisintrospectionispresentinRobertGraves’poem.
InsteadfromtheveryfirstlineofGraves’poemanyillusionofthemindsetofasoldiershattered:
“Toyouwho’dreadmysongsofwar
Andonlyhearofbloodandfame,
I’llsay(andyou’vehearditsaidbefore)
‘War’sHell!’andifyoudoubtthesame,
TodayIfoundinMametzWood.
Acertaincureforlustofblood
​
.”
113
ThroughtheuseofthesecondpersonsubjectivepronounGravesdirectlyopensa
dialoguewiththereader.Thisuseofthepronounbreaksthefourthwall,theillusionofthepoem
asaseparateworld,bydirectlyengagingthereader:“Toyouwho’dreadmysongsofwar.”
Gravesthenusesparenthesistoaddunderstandingtothethoughtsthatthereaderishaving:
“(andyou’vehearditsaidbefore).”AsifGraves’knowsexactlytowhomhispoemisaddressed.
112
“PoetryoftheFirstWorldWar.”EditedbyTimKendell.Page97.
113
“PoetryoftheFirstWorldWar,”EditedbyTimKendall[OxfordWorld’sClassics]Page194
68
FurtherthananticipatingwhatanindividualreaderwillbethinkingGravesmakesfunofthe
entirecultureofasocietythathasbeenatwarforfouryears.Theclichethat‘WarisHell,’has
beentransportedintoaphrasewhich,ratherthanreflectingthereality,holdstrueastoic
heroism.Suggestingthatifwarishell,thanthosewhofightinawarmustbeheroicby
sacrificingthemselvesforthegreatergood.Creatingabloodlust,eitherforthedeathofthe
enemyorforthepursuitofmartyrdom.Regardlesswhatromanticimplicationsaboutthewar
mayhaveattachedthemselvesatthehomefrontGravessuggeststhathehasfoundthecurein
theactualfightingofthewar.Thecureisthesightofadeadsoldiersamongstthetrenches.No
rhetoric,nostylizedproposedsimplyablanddescription:
“Proppedagainstashatteredtrunk,
Inagreatmessofthingsunclean,
SatadeadBosch;hescowledandstunk
Withclothesandfaceasoddengreen,
Bigbellied,spectacled,crophaired,
Dribblingblackbloodfromthenoseandbeard
​
.”
114
Nogrittypropagandaoverthedeathofanindividual.Noponderingoverwhetherfightingawar
willmakeabetterworld.RatherthanimposinghisthoughtsonthereaderGreavesleaves
nothingbutablanddescription.Thetwostanzasofthispoemcontradict.Inthefirststanza
Greavesliterallyasksthereader,inhisconversationaltone,tothinkaboutcomingfacetoface
withadeadbody.Thesecondstanzaissimplyadescriptionofthatevent.Thesetwostanzas
115
stackupverydifferentlytothesevenstanzaswhichSassoondevotestoadeadBosch.
ItisrighttocontrasttheworksofSassoonandGraves.Bothwereeagerforwar,joining
upin1914.Bothfoughtthesamecampaigns,inthesamelandscapes,withthesameregiment.
114
“PoetryoftheFirstWorldWar,”EditedbyTimKendall[OxfordWorld’sClassics]Page194
115
WritteninEnglishSetetscheme,akatheShakespeareanSonnet
69
Bothsoldiersevenrecoveredfromthewoundsatthesamehospital,wheretheyhelpedtoedit
andcomposepoetry.SassoonandGravesshareanalmostidenticalwarexperience.Thereare
nobettercomparisonstowhatwouldcreatetheconditionsforusingacertainpronounwithin
theirwriting.Asanexampleofthebondingandexperiencewhichcreatetheconditionsfor
writingpoetryinthethirdpersonpersonalpronoun:“we,”IwouldliketopresentGraves’poem
“TwoFusiliers,”whichencapsulatesthefeelingsoffriendshipandlovecompoundedthrough
sharedexperience.ThispoemofcourseisreferringtoSassoonastheotherFusilier.Apoint
whichismademoreclearlyinthededicationofhispostwaranthology“FairiesandFusilier,”to
the“RoyalWelshFusiliers.”TheonlylivingmemberofwhichGraveskeptcontactbeing
Sassoon.
“Bywireandwoodandstakewe’rebound,
ByFricoustandbyFestubert,
Bywhippingrain,bythesun’sglare,
Byallthemiseryandloudsound,
ByaSpringDay
ByPicardclay.
Showmethetwosocloselybound
Aswe,bythewetbondofblood,
Byfriendshipblossomingfromthemud,
ByDeath:wefacedhimandwefound
BeautyinDeath,
Indeadmen,breath
​
.”
116
Thispoemisreallyapleasantandcarriesareasonablyupbeattone,giventhetopic.
Thispoemfallsintoanothercategoryofwarpoetry.Onemeantforescapeandexpression.This
styledoesn’tconstitutethemajorityofRobertGraves’poeticalworkduringthewar.Infactthe
overwhelmingmajorityofhispoemsarewritteninthesecondtense,withthepoembeing
116
“PoetryoftheFirstWorldWar,”EditedbyTimKendall[OxfordWorld’sClassics]Page197
70
directedto“you,”thereader.ThispleasantpoemisareminderofhisfriendshipwithSassoon,
theotherfusilier.Gravesusesthethirdpersonpronounhereasameansofnotdealingdirectly
withthewar .Gravesisnotusingthesecondorthirdpersonpronountorepressthe
117
experienceoftrenchwarfare.IncontrasttheentiretyofGrave’spostwarprosebook“Goodbye
toAllthat,”writtenin1929takesplaceinthefirstperson:“I.”
WhereitisratherclearthatGraveswasagainstthewar,giventhecontentsofhiswar
works.YetunlikeSassoonwhowentoutofhiswaytopublicizethestupidityandgreedfueling
thewareffortGravesremainsquiet.Funnelingthemajorityofhisangstanddisapprovalofthe
warintohispoetryandprose.Mostdammingofwhichisanaccountofanincidenthegivesin
hispoem“SergeantMajorMoney
​
;”wherethemurderofastrictSergeantwascoveredbythe
118
armyinordertoprotecttheintegrityoftheplatoonsblubberingLieutenant.RobertGravesalso
spokeupindefenseofSassoonwhileSassoonwasbeingcourtmarshalled.Gravesmayhave
calledSassooncrazy,whichprobablysavedSassoon’slife,butitwasnecessaryforGraves
sawsomethingthatSassooncouldn’tgrasp.Thestyleoffirstpersonpronounheavypoetry
whichSassoonusedwassureofconvertingtheignorantinwartornEnglandbychallenging
thoughtswithsharingexperience.WhatweseeinRobertGravespoetryisanattackatthestyle
ofpropagandawhichcreating,andsustaining,awarlikeculturetheignorancewhichSassoon
isarguingagainst.TheIconicimagewhichplaysupontheheartofeveryIndividual,theposter
ofLordKitchener,calling“You,”tosaveyourcountry
​
.
119
InapoemwhichdealsdirectlywiththefalloutofwarGravesreflectswithatoneand
stylethatisnottypicalofhiswartimepoetry.Thepoem“RecallingWar,”iswrittenwithaan
omnipotentnarrator.Thepoemprovidesvinyetsandmetaphorstothewar,lettingthegory
117
InProfessorPennebaker’sbook“TheSecretLifeofPronouns,”hetalksabouttherepressionof
experiencebeingexpressedintheuseofthethirdpersonpronoun.
118
“PoetryoftheFirstWorldWar,”EditedbyTimKendall[OxfordWorld’sClassics]Page197
119
SeeAppendix2
71
realismthatusuallymarkswarpoetrytodissipate.Thischangeintonealsomarksa
transferenceoftechnique.Whereasthepreviouspoems,whichusethesecondperson,carries
aconversationaltone“RecallingWar,”holdsahigherlevelofrhetoric.Thereisneitheradistinct
narratorintheuseof“I,””us,”or“we.”Noristhereisevenaclearprotagonist.Thenarratoris
wistfullyrepeatingtheloosethoughtsofthewarthatcongregateinhismind.Theconversational
tonewhichGraveshaspreviouslyusedtosubtlypokethereaderintothinkingabouttheimages
hepresentsasabnormalarenotpresent.Insteadthereisaseriesofstatements,“theamputee
lefthiswoodenleg.”FurtherthishighstyleofrhetoricharkensbacktothenaturalismofBrooke.
SECTIONE
E1DISCUSSION
~~~~~~~~~~~
Pronounsareanessentialpartofidentifyinganarrator.Withoutpronounsthetroubleof
realizingfromwhoseperspectiveastorytakesplaceisfurthermuddled.Whetheritbeinthe
simplestfirstperson,pastorpresent,thesecondpersonobserver,orthethirdpersoninclusive;
theuseofpronounsclearlyidentifytherelationofthenarratorthereader.ThepoetryoftheFirst
WorldWarcertainlydidchallengethisconceptbytheinclusionofthesecondperson“you,”to
directlyaddressthereader.Asifthepoemwastryingtosellanidea,likeaadvertisementtries
tosellaproduct.
ThepostwarpoetryofT.SEliot's“TheWasteland,”lacksaclearnarrator.IndeedDavid
Jones’accountofthefirstworldwarlacksanarratorThesestoriesbothdealwithsimilar
72
strugglestothoseexperiencedbytheGeorgianpoetswhowenttowarbytheyrefusetoclearly
definetheirnarratortothereader.Thesestoriescontaintheelementsofliterature,thesameas
thepoemsoftheGeorgians.Thereareprotagonists,andasindicatedbyspeechandnarration
interactionsoccurbetweenthecharactersandtheirenvironment.Themoststrikingdifference
isthatitseemsthenarratorisignoringthereader.Thereisnodirectconnectionbetweenthe
narratorandthereader,oftenseeninthenarratoridentifyingthemselvesinthefirstorthird
person:”Ididthis,”“wedidthis.”Eventheradicalconceptofaddressingthereaderdirectlyis
completelyforgotten.
DuetothisdistancethattheModernistsputbetweenthemselvesanditisquitepossible
thatthesewritersarereactingtotheovertlyemotivepersonalpoetryoftheGeorgianswhowent
towar.Insteadoffirsthandaccountsoftheiractionsandfeelingsthesepoetswerearmedwith
theabilitytoengagedirectlytoareader,fortheyknewthattheyhadreadership.Strivingtobe
freefromtheconstraintsofthemainstreamstyle,ofthederelictmemoriesofthewartheBritish
ModernistonlyproducedoneworkofWorldWarOneLiteraturewrittenbyacombatantDavid
Jones.
BeingatfirstapainterandthenasoldierDavidJonesneverconsideredhimselfapoet
120
.TheworkoftheGeorgiansneverdirectlyimpactedDavidJones.Althoughhewasa
contemporarytoRobertGravesandSiegfriedSassoonitseemsthatneitheronecompelledhim
towritehisbook.YetironicallyJones’bookwouldtakeplaceinthesamelocationthatSiegfried
SassoonandRobertGraveswroteabout.AllthreesoldiershavingfoughtintheWelshFusiliers
intheMametzWoods
​
.UnlikeSassoonorGravesDavidJonesservedasaprivateduringthe
121
war
​
.ThereasonJonesdecidedtowritedownhiswarexperiencewasinresponsetoreading
122
120
http://www.flashpointmag.com/shieljones.htm
121
Poetryoutofthedark
122
“ThePoetryoftheFirstWorldWar.”EditedbySantanuDasPage144
73
atranslationof“AllQuietontheWesternFront.”TowhichDavidJonesapparentlysaid“Icando
better
​
.”
123
AlthoughitselfaworkoftheModernistperiod,Jones’s“InParenthesis,”waspublishedin
1937
​
,struggleswithmanyofthesameissueswhichhauntedtheCraiglockhartpoets.Seen
124
moredirectlyinthetitle,“InParenthesis,”suggestingasifsomethinghasbeenomitted,or
ratherthatthereaderhasbeeninvitedintotheperspectiveofthewriter.Muchlikewhen
Sassoonusesparenthesisin“ToAnyDeadOfficer,”,quingthereaderintowhat“Woundedand
MissingMeans.”THroughoutthebookthoughJonescarriesonasifheisexplainthewarto
noone,fornoonepersonisaddressedthroughtheuseofpronoun.
“Therepeatedpassingbackofaidfulmessagesassumesacadency.
Mindthehole
mindthehole
mindtheholetotheleft
holetotheright
stepover
keepleft,left.
Oncegroveling,precipitated,withhisgeartangled,strugglestohisfeetagain:
Leftbebuggered.
Sorrymateyouallrightchina?liftusyerrifleandonttakeitHoneybut
rather,mind
thewirehere
mindthewire
mindthewire
mindthewire.
Extricatewithsomecarethattauntstranditmaywellbeyou’llsweatonits
unbrokenness.”
Thevoidcreatedbythelackofpronounmakethestorymessy,itreinforcesthelackof
relationshipbetweenthenarratorandreaderwhichapronounwouldestablish.This,“In
Parenthesis,”thereaderispushedthroughthebookunsureoftheirposition,unclearifthestory
123
http://www.flashpointmag.com/shieljones.htm
124
“ThePoetryoftheFirstWorldWar.”EditedbySantanuDasPage144
74
isafiction,arecollection,aletter,orapoem.
SectionF.
F1CONCLUSION
~~~~~~~~~~~
AlthoughtheschoolofGeorgianpoetrymadeitthroughthewaritdidn’tlastlong.The
lastGeorgianAnthologybeingpublishedin1922.Thestyleofeachpoemchangedthroughout
thewarbutmostinexplicablytherelationbetweenthereaderandthewriterchanged.Bythe
endofthewarthemostinfluentialGeorgianpoetstheCraiglockhartpoetsallheldopinions
againsthowthewarwasbeingconducted.Inthisreachtoeducatethehomefrontreadership,
outoftheBloomsburyPoetryWorkshop,thesepoetschangedtheirstyleofpoetry.Thefirst
personpronounheavypoetryoftheDymockpoetswasstylizedduringthewar.Areductionin
theuseofthefirstpersonsubjectivepronountakingplaceduringthecourseofthewar.
PersonallyIexpectedthatthethirdpersonsubjectivepronounwouldhaveshownthe
mostsignificantchangeoverthecourseofthewar.Theuseofthethirdpersonsubjective
pronounpromotesaninclusiveenvironmentintowhichthereadersofLondonwouldbeableto
seethetrenchesalongsidetheGeorgianpoetsbuttheuseofthethirdpersonsubjective
pronountoowasreasonablyunchanged.
Themajorswitchinpronounuseduringthewarcamefromtheuseofthesecondperson
accusatory“you.”Thereasonforthischangeismostnotableinthesentimentsheldbythe
Craiglockhartpoets.Thatthewarwasbeingunnecessarilyprolongedandthatthepublicwere
ignorantandthusallowingthewartocontinue.Thisdesiretobringaclosetothewarbegged
thesewritershowtheymustconveythemselvesinorderfortheconditionofthetrenchesto
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becomefamiliartoareaderfarremovedfromtheaction.Throughutilizingthepopularstyleof
warpropagandasuchasthe“LordKitchenerWantsYou,”poster.Thesepoetswereableto
directlyaddressthereaderthroughthemediaofprintedwords.Althoughthisstylecertainlydid
notlastinthemainstream,thelastGeorgianAnthologybeingpublishedin1922.Thestyle
certainlyhadagreateffectontheupandcomingModernistMovement.Asthesewritersasked
themselveshowtoframetherelationshipbetweentheauthorandthereader.
SectionG
Appendix1Charts
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Appendix2Posters
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